Life Span
Perennial
Biennial
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Europe, Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Brassica oleifer, Brassica napus
Number of Varieties
713
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Humid climates, Subtropical climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, H1, 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 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm25.40 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Brown, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Blue Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Light Green, Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Light Green, Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Oval Cordate
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep the Soil well drained, Needs watering once a week
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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 back the growing tips, Remove all suckers
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
15-15-15 amounts, All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Downy mildew, pink rot, Rust
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Aphids, Beetles, Bugs
Allergy
-
Diarrhea, Nausea, Oral Allergy, sneezing, wheezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Blackheads, Blood purifying, Perfumes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for birds, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Shadow Tree
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Cholesterol Free, Curing mumps and measles, Digestion problems, Diuretic, Palpitation, Piles
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves, Stem
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Making Sweet Scented Oil, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc.
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
BRASSICA rapa ssp. nipposinica
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Kabuna, Mizuna, Spinach Mustard, Tendergreen
In Hindi
Chayote
Mizuna
In German
Chayote
Mizuna
In French
Chayote
Mizuna
In Spanish
Chayote
Mizuna
In Greek
Chayote
Mizuna
In Portuguese
chuchu
Mizuna
In Polish
Chayote
Mizuna
In Latin
chayote
Mizuna
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Capparales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Brassicaceae
Genus
Sechium
Brassica
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
53
1
27800
👆🏻