Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tree
Origin
Mexico, Central America
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, Texas, Canada
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
725
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Wet lands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1, 2, 3, 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 cm240.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Light Yellow, Ivory
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Orange, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Red, Orange, Orange Red
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Pinnate
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Wet Site
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
-
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial 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
Insignificant
Insignificant
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
Allergy
-
Irritate the mucus membrane, Rash, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Sap
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used to make a black varnish for use in woodworking
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
-
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
TOXICODENDRON vernix
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Poison Dogwood, Poison Elderberry, Poison Sumac, Swamp Sumac
In Hindi
Chayote
toxicodendron vernix
In German
Chayote
toxicodendron vernix
In French
Chayote
TOXICODENDRON vernix
In Spanish
Chayote
vérnix TOXICODENDRON
In Greek
Chayote
Toxicodendron vernix
In Portuguese
chuchu
TOXICODENDRON vernix
In Polish
Chayote
toxicodendron vernix
In Latin
chayote
Natrum vernix
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Sapindales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Anacardiaceae
Genus
Sechium
Toxicodendron
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
535
1
27800
👆🏻