Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern Asia, India, Melanesia, Micronesia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Variegata Dwarf, Variegata Chinese Beauty
Number of Varieties
720
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-5
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm180.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm120.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Red, Light Pink
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Multi-Color
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Lance shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Average
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires plenty of water during the growing season
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
Average
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Cut off the flower stalks at the base of the plant, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Apply 8-4-6 amount
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
-
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Rash
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Antiulcerogenic, Diuretic, Hypotensive
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaves, Rhizomes
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves used for wrapping zongi, Used to flavour noodles, Used to wrap mochi rice cakes
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Screening / Wind Break, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
ALPINIA zerumbet
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Shell Ginger
In Hindi
Chayote
Shell Ginger
In German
Chayote
Shell Ginger
In French
Chayote
Shell Ginger
In Spanish
Chayote
Shell jengibre
In Greek
Chayote
Shell Τζίντζερ
In Portuguese
chuchu
Shell Ginger
In Polish
Chayote
Shell Imbir
In Latin
chayote
Crusta Ginger
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Violales
Zingiberales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Sechium
Alpinia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Alpinieae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Alpinioideae
Number of Species
5150
1
27800
👆🏻