Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Central America, South America
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Willow Leaf, Sieva Lima, Dixie Speckled
Number of Varieties
72
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Humid climates, Subtropical climates, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Willow-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
High
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Not so frequently
In Spring
Moderate
Alternate Days
In Winter
Average Water
Drought Tolerant
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune to control growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Armyworm, Bean rust, Bean weevils, Corn earworm, Cucumber beetles, Curly top, Damping off, Darkling beetles, Earwigs, Fusarium root rot, Grasshoppers, Leafhoppers, Loopers, Lycaenid pod borers, Lygus bugs, Mosaic viruses, Nematodes, Powdery mildew, Saltmarsh caterpillar, Seedcorn maggot, Slugs, Snails, Spider mites, Stink bugs, Thripes, White mold, Whiteflies
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
cholesterol-lowering, constipation, Digestive disorders, Fiber, Heart problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
PHASEOLUS lunatus
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Butter Bean, Lima Bean
In Hindi
Chayote
सेम फली
In German
Chayote
Limabohne
In French
Chayote
Haricot de Lima
In Spanish
Chayote
Haba
In Greek
Chayote
Γίγαντας
In Portuguese
chuchu
feijão-Lima
In Polish
Chayote
Lima Bean
In Latin
chayote
Lima Bean
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Fabales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Fabaceae
Genus
Sechium
Phaseolus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
Phaseoleae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Faboideae
Number of Species
540
1
27800
👆🏻