Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Cactus or Succulent
Origin
Mexico, Central America
North America, Latin America and the Caribbean, Central America, South America, Brazil
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Echinopsis pachanoi
Number of Varieties
710
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
shrublands
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1512-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-10
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Upright/Erect
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
-
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
-
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
-
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Succulent
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist, Keep immersed in water, Requires more often in extreme heat
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
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
Prune to stimulate growth
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
6-12-12 or 5-10-10
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Mealybugs, Red spider mite, Scale insects, Slugs, Snails
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
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
drowsiness, Nausea, Vomiting
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Decorating walls, Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Aphrodisiac, Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
extracted oil
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties, Used for Landscaping
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
ECHINOPSIS pachanoi
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
San Pedro
In Hindi
Chayote
सैन पेड्रो
In German
Chayote
Echinopsis pachanoi
In French
Chayote
Echinopsis pachanoi
In Spanish
Chayote
Echinopsis pachanoi
In Greek
Chayote
San Pedro κάκτος
In Portuguese
chuchu
Wachuma
In Polish
Chayote
San pedro (kaktus)
In Latin
chayote
San Pedro
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Caryophyllales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cactaceae
Genus
Sechium
Echinopsis
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Trichocereeae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Cactoideae
Number of Species
536
1
27800
👆🏻