Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
New Zealand
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Metrosideros excelsa
Number of Varieties
78
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Coastal Regions, hedge rows, Woodlands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-12
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 16, 17, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm910.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm610.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Red, Crimson
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Brown, Sandy Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Light Green, Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green, Gray
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green, Gray
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Acicular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer
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
Late Spring, Early Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought, Salt
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative 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
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
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
Birds, Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Used as Christmas tree, Used for making hedges
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Astringent, Dysentry
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers, Wood
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Application in Furniture
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
METROSIDEROS excelsa
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
New Zealand Christmas Tree, Pohutukawa
In Hindi
Chayote
pohutukawa
In German
Chayote
pohutukawa
In French
Chayote
pohutukawa
In Spanish
Chayote
pohutukawa
In Greek
Chayote
pohutukawa
In Portuguese
chuchu
pohutukawa
In Polish
Chayote
pohutukawa
In Latin
chayote
pohutukawa
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
-
Class
Magnoliopsida
-
Order
Violales
Myrtales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Myrtaceae
Genus
Sechium
Metrosideros
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
512
1
27800
👆🏻