Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Tender Perennial
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Southeastern Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Number of Varieties
7200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-8
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White, Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
Red
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green, Ivory
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green, Ivory
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
V-Shaped
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full 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
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
From Rhizomes
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
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
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Partial shade, Full Shade
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
-
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single
-
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Bold
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Glossy
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Allergy
-
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
ALOCASIA micholitziana
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Elephant Ear, Taro
In Hindi
Chayote
अरवी
In German
Chayote
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
In French
Chayote
Colocasia
In Spanish
Chayote
Colocasia
In Greek
Chayote
Colocasia
In Portuguese
chuchu
Colocasia
In Polish
Chayote
Kolokazja
In Latin
chayote
Colocasia
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Arales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Araceae
Genus
Sechium
Alocasia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Colocasiodeae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Aroideae
Number of Species
510
1
27800
👆🏻