Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Needled or Scaled Evergreen
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Japan
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Papyrus, Cyperus alternifolius
Number of Varieties
715
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
ditches, Marshy ground
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-8
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
8-4
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Pyramidal
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm460.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Red orange
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Dark Green, Bronze
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Umbrella Like
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Slow
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Rooted stem cutting
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Plant grows in water
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
Clay, Loam
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
Cut out old leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Fungal Diseases
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
Flowers
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Hummingbirds
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
-
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Tonic
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Root
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Basketary, Used in paper industry, Weaving into Mats and Bags
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Topiary, Bonsai, Espalier
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Cyperus alternifolius
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Galingale,Umbrella Palm
In Hindi
Chayote
mbrella Palm
In German
Chayote
Cyperus alternifolius
In French
Chayote
Cyperus alternifolius
In Spanish
Chayote
Cyperus alternifolius
In Greek
Chayote
Umbrella Palm
In Portuguese
chuchu
Umbrella Palm
In Polish
Chayote
Cibora zmienna
In Latin
chayote
Umbrella Palm
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Liliopsida
Order
Violales
Cyperales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Sciadopityaceae
Genus
Sechium
Cyperus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
59
1
27800
👆🏻