Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Herbs
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Asia, Europe
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Elfin Thyme, Pink Chintz Thyme, Lime Thyme, White Moss Thyme, Lavender Thyme, Silver Needle Thyme
Number of Varieties
7300
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Rocky areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-156-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Cushion/Mound-forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm10.20 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm20.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Crimson, Lavender, Pink, White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
-
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Gray Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Gray Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Tiny
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Fall, Spring, Summer, Winter
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Do not water frequently, Does not require lot of watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water occasionally
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loamy, Sandy
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Part sun
Pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Prune for shortening long shoots, Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Prune lower leaves, Requires extensive pruning
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Alternaria leaf blight, Aphids, Botrytis collar rot, Rhizoctonia Root Rot, Spider mites
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
Diarrhea, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Beautification, Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Arthritis, Bronchitis, Chronic fatigue, Cough, Gastritis, Hair Loss, Insomnia, Kidney problems, Muscle Pain, Skin irritation, Snoring, Sore throat, Stomach pain, Swelling
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Air freshner, Cosmetics, Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Showy Purposes, Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for fragrance
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Herb, Rock Garden
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Thymus vulgaris
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Thyme
In Hindi
Chayote
अजवायन के फूल
In German
Chayote
Thymian
In French
Chayote
Thym
In Spanish
Chayote
Tomillo
In Greek
Chayote
θυμάρι
In Portuguese
chuchu
Tomilho
In Polish
Chayote
Tymianek
In Latin
chayote
Thymum
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
-
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Labiatae
Genus
Sechium
Thymus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
5350
1
27800
👆🏻