Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Grass
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Eastern Asia, China, Japan, Korea
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
730
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Lower slopes, marshes, Mountain Slopes
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9 - 1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm150.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Red, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Dark Green, Gold, Tan
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Gold, Tan
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Fall, Late Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Pollution, Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Divison
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do Not over Water, Keep ground moist
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Adequately
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
cut main flower spike, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Fertilize when new
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Healthy tree, Red blotch, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought, Pollution
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
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Dried Flower / Everlasting, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
MISCANTHUS sinensis 'Gracillimus'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Eulalia, Japanese Silvergrass, Maiden Grass
In Hindi
Chayote
maiden grass
In German
Chayote
Mädchen Gras
In French
Chayote
herbe de jeune fille
In Spanish
Chayote
hierba doncella
In Greek
Chayote
παρθενική γρασίδι
In Portuguese
chuchu
grama de solteira
In Polish
Chayote
panieńskie trawy
In Latin
chayote
virgo herba
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Cyperales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Sechium
Miscanthus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
517
1
27800
👆🏻