Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southern Asia, India, China
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
765
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Humid climates, Warmer regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-4
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm1,220.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Ivory
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Gold, Tan
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Red, Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Ovate
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 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
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Divison, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Does not require lot of watering
In Summer
Lots of watering
Less Watering
In Spring
Moderate
Adequately
In Winter
Average Water
Ample Water
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, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Don't prune in winter, No pruning needed in the early stages
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize three times a year, very little fertilizers at a time
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Caterpillars, Scale, Spider mites
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Birds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Skin Problems
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
-
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Heart problems, Skin Disorders, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
DIMOCARPUS longan
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Longan
In Hindi
Chayote
Longan
In German
Chayote
Longan
In French
Chayote
longane
In Spanish
Chayote
Longan
In Greek
Chayote
Longan
In Portuguese
chuchu
Longan
In Polish
Chayote
Longan
In Latin
chayote
Longan
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Sapindales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Sapindaceae
Genus
Sechium
Dimocarpus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
565
1
27800
👆🏻