Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Japan
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Ophiopogon japonicus, Ophiopogon planiscapus
Number of Varieties
750
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Damp shady woods, foothill woods, Lowland
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm10.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm2.30 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Indigo, Dark Blue, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
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
Grass like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Regular watering during dry periods
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
-
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
Asthma
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Borders
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Antipyretic, Antiscrophulatic, Antitussive, Aphrodisiac
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Root
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
useful as a ground cover
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edging, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
OPHIOPOGON japonicus
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Mondo grass, lily turf, snakebeard
In Hindi
Chayote
Mondo Grass
In German
Chayote
Mondo Grass
In French
Chayote
Mondo Grass
In Spanish
Chayote
Ophiopogon planiscapus
In Greek
Chayote
Mondo Grass
In Portuguese
chuchu
Mondo Grass
In Polish
Chayote
Mondo Grass
In Latin
chayote
Mondo Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Embryophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Liliales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Liliaceae
Genus
Sechium
Ophiopogon
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
550
1
27800
👆🏻