Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern United States, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Guaiacum officinale
Number of Varieties
73
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Coastal Regions, Dry and Young forest Heaths, Thickets, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm370.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Purple, Violet, Blue Violet
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Yellow, Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Olive
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Olive
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Spring, Late Winter, Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires watering in the growing season
In Summer
Lots of watering
Consistently
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Moderate
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilize three times a year
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
fungus, Mealybugs, Scale, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought, Salt
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Bark, Sap
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
used for making roof trusses, poles, joists, piles, Used in construction, Used in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
GUAIACUM sanctum
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Holy-wood, Lignum Vitae
In Hindi
Chayote
Lignum Vitae
In German
Chayote
Lignum Vitae
In French
Chayote
Lignum Vitae
In Spanish
Chayote
Palo santo
In Greek
Chayote
Lignum Vitae
In Portuguese
chuchu
pau-santo
In Polish
Chayote
Lignum Vitae
In Latin
chayote
lignum Vitae
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Sapindales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Zygophyllaceae
Genus
Sechium
Guaiacum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
53
1
27800
👆🏻