Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants, Shrubs
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
African or American Marigolds, French Marigolds, Mule Marigolds
Number of Varieties
750
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Roadsides, wastelands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-159-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 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
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm40.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm50.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Orange, Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Toothed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Fall, Spring, Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Fall, Early Summer, Fall, Late Fall, Late Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Form a Soil ring to water efficiently, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Water in morning to avoid prompting diseases, Water when soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Well drained
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune ocassionally, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires little pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Alternaria Leaf Spot, Bacterial leaf spot, Damping-off, Gray mold, Powdery mildew, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Asthma, Eye irritation, Red eyes, Runny nose, Throat itching, Watery eyes
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
Burns, constipation, Inflammation, Upset stomach, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers, Seeds
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Can be made into a herbal tea, Decoration Purposes, Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Edging, Foundation, Houseplant, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
TAGETES 'Cottage Red'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Marigold
In Hindi
Chayote
गेंदा
In German
Chayote
Ringelblume
In French
Chayote
Souci
In Spanish
Chayote
Caléndula
In Greek
Chayote
κατιφές
In Portuguese
chuchu
Malmequer
In Polish
Chayote
Nogietek
In Latin
chayote
Caltha
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Asterales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Sechium
Tagetes
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
550
1
27800
👆🏻