Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
North America, Northeastern United States, North-Central United States, Alaska, Canada
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Ornamental Tree
Number of Varieties
730
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Slopes, Swamps
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-152-7
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
7-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm1,520.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm760.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Light Yellow, Gold
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Egg-shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires regular watering
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, 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
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
Red blotch
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
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
-
Allergy
-
-
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
Cold, Cough, Gout, Laxative, Rheumatism, Wounds
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves, Wood
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Animal Feed, Sometimes used for making wine
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
BETULA papyrifera
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Paper Birch
In Hindi
Chayote
Paper birch
In German
Chayote
Papierbirke
In French
Chayote
Le bouleau à papier
In Spanish
Chayote
abedul de papel
In Greek
Chayote
σημύδα χαρτί
In Portuguese
chuchu
vidoeiro de papel
In Polish
Chayote
brzoza papieru
In Latin
chayote
Paper betula
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Fagales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Betulaceae
Genus
Sechium
Betula
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
560
1
27800
👆🏻