Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Grass
Origin
Mexico, Central America
World/Pandemic
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Paspalum vaginatum
Number of Varieties
710
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H2, 17, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm2.50 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm50.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Green, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Lance 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
Clay, Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Sprigging or Stolonizing
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs more water during establishment
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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
organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Dollar spot, Leaf spot
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Billbugs, Crickets, Cutworms
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Ground Cover
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Erosion control
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
-
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used as a golf course turf, Used to feed livestock
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Lawns and Turf
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
PASPALUM vaginatum
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Biscuit Grass, Seashore Paspalum
In Hindi
Chayote
Seashore Paspalum
In German
Chayote
Seashore Paspalum
In French
Chayote
Seashore Paspalum
In Spanish
Chayote
Paspalum
In Greek
Chayote
Αιγιαλός Paspalum
In Portuguese
chuchu
seashore Paspalum
In Polish
Chayote
Nad morzem Paspalum
In Latin
chayote
Paspalum maris
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Violales
Cyperales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Sechium
Paspalum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
520
1
27800
👆🏻