Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Grass
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern United States, California, Caribbean
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Grass
Number of Varieties
71
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
marshes, Swamps, Tropical Climate
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-158-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12 - 9
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 12, 13, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Mat-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm760.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm15.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
-
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
Fin-shaped Tufts
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
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
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Pollution, Salt, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plugs, Sod, Sprigs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Average Water Needs
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
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
Red blotch
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
-
Allergy
-
Congestion, Itchiness, sneezing
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification
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
-
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used in lawns and turf
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Lawns and Turf
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
STENOTAPHRUM secundatum
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Softleaf Buffalo Grass, St. Augustine Grass
In Hindi
Chayote
St. Augustine Grass
In German
Chayote
St. Augustine Grass
In French
Chayote
St. Augustine Grass
In Spanish
Chayote
St. Augustine Grass
In Greek
Chayote
St. Augustine Grass
In Portuguese
chuchu
St. Augustine Grass
In Polish
Chayote
St. Augustine Grass
In Latin
chayote
St. Augustine Grass
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Cyperales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Poaceae
Genus
Sechium
Stenotaphrum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Paniceae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Panicoideae
Number of Species
57
1
27800
👆🏻