Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants
Origin
Mexico, Central America
California, Northwestern United States, United States
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Blue Moon, Clouds of Perfume
Number of Varieties
72
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Rich Woods
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm30.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm30.50 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Light Purple, Pink, Purple, Reddish Plum, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Ovate-lanceolate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
-
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Cuttings, Seedlings
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
Neutral
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove dead flowers
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 10-10-10 amount
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, 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
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Allergy
-
Mild Allergen
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Boils, Eczema, Intestinal disorders
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers, Leaves, Root
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
As a tea substitute, Used as eyewash
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Phlox amplifolia
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Phlox amplifolia
In Hindi
Chayote
Phlox amplifolia
In German
Chayote
Phlox amplifolia
In French
Chayote
Phlox amplifolia
In Spanish
Chayote
Phlox amplifolia
In Greek
Chayote
Phlox amplifolia
In Portuguese
chuchu
Phlox amplifolia
In Polish
Chayote
Phlox amplifolia
In Latin
chayote
Phlox amplifolia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Solanales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Polemoniaceae
Genus
Sechium
Phlox
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Phlocideae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Polemonioideae
Number of Species
52
1
27800
👆🏻