Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Mexico, Central America
-
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Fruit
Number of Varieties
7300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Temperate Regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-154-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
8-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Oval or Rounded
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm300.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm300.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Red, Dark Red
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
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Simple lobed or unlobed
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
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Early Spring, Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Semi-hardwood and hardwood cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist, Use Mulches to help prevent water loss during hot and windy weather
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
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
Birds
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
Insignificant
Showy
Flower Petal Number
Single
Single, Double
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
-
Anaphylaxis, gastro-intestinal problems, Itchiness, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Bouquets, Informal Hedge, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant, Gout, Insomnia, Soothing and relieving pain
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Air freshner, Beneficial species for attracting pollinators, Cake, Edible syrup, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used to make juice
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
PRUNUS cerasus
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Pie Cherry, Sour Cherry, Tart Cherry
In Hindi
Chayote
Sour cherry
In German
Chayote
Sauerkirsche
In French
Chayote
Prunus cerasus
In Spanish
Chayote
Prunus cerasus
In Greek
Chayote
Sour cherry
In Portuguese
chuchu
Ginja
In Polish
Chayote
Wiśnia pospolita
In Latin
chayote
Prunus cerasus
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Tracheophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Rosales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Rosaceae
Genus
Sechium
Prunus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5270
1
27800
👆🏻