Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Herbs
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Europe, Asia
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Thodopuza, Red streaked, Alleppey
Number of Varieties
730
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Loamy soils, Tropical Forests, Tropical regions, Well Drained
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-157-11
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
9-1
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Clump-Forming
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm50.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm100.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Tan, Brown
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Yellow green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Light Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Long Elliptic
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Growth Rate
Fast
Medium
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Mid Spring
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
From Rhizomes, Root Division
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Average
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
Cut back old stems to the ground, Prune after harvesting, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Compost, Fertilize the soil before planting, organic fertlizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Leaf Hoppers, Mites, Scale, Snails
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Shallow soil
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Aphids, Caterpillar, Mites, Rabbits, Snails
Allergy
-
Abdominal distension, Blurred vision, Oral Allergy
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Showy Purposes
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Acne, Anti-ageing, Blackheads, Blood purifying, Making cosmetics, Natural Sunscreen, Remove blemishes, Skin inflammation
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Prevent weeds, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Abdominal Disease, Acne, Alzheimer’s Disease, Antibacterial, antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Atherosclerosis, Brain disease, Carminative, Cold, Diarrhea, Digestion problems, Eczema, Liver problems, Menstrual Cramps, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms, Treatment of ulcers, Urinary tract problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Whole plant
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Used as an ointment, Used as colouring in foods, Used as insect repellent
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Alpine, Cutflower, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Curcuma longa
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Turmeric, Curcuma
In Hindi
Chayote
हल्दी
In German
Chayote
Kurkuma
In French
Chayote
curcuma
In Spanish
Chayote
Curcuma longa
In Greek
Chayote
κουρκούμη
In Portuguese
chuchu
curcuma
In Polish
Chayote
kurkuma
In Latin
chayote
turmeric
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Zingiberales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Zingiberaceae
Genus
Sechium
Curcuma
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
Zingibereae
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Zingiberoideae
Number of Species
5100
1
27800
👆🏻