Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southern Africa, South Africa
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Ornithogalum Umbellatum
Ornithogalum thyrsoides
Ornithogalum dubium
Ornithogalum arabicum
Ornithogalum nutans
Number of Varieties
760
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Grassland
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-10
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
10-7
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
21,22
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm20.30 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm15.20 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Orange, Gold
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Blue Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Several shades of Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Linear
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
-
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, 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
Early Spring, Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
By dividing rhizomes, tubers, From bulbs
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Requires regular watering
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
Clay, 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
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
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Bog Garden, Borders, Decorating walls
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
Flowers, Root
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
-
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
ORNITHOGALUM dubium
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Snake Flower, Sun Star, Yellow Chincherinchee
In Hindi
Chayote
Sun Star
In German
Chayote
Sun Star
In French
Chayote
Sun Star
In Spanish
Chayote
Sun Star
In Greek
Chayote
Sun Star
In Portuguese
chuchu
Sun Star
In Polish
Chayote
Sun Star
In Latin
chayote
Sun Star
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Platyhelminthes
Class
Magnoliopsida
Lilopsida
Order
Violales
Asparagales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Asparagaceae
Genus
Sechium
Ornithogalum
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Ornithogaleae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Scilloideae
Number of Species
550
1
27800
👆🏻