Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Fruit
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Africa, Southern Africa
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Cathay Belle
Diana
Gold Baby
Gold Flower
Golden Midget
Golden Sunrise
Number of Varieties
71200
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
12-4
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 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
Prostrate/Trailing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm30.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm240.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Yellow
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Yellow, Light Yellow, Dark Green, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green, Gray Green, Light Yellow
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Gray Green, Light Yellow
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Gray Green, Light Yellow
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Lobed
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Very Fast
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
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Over-watering can cause leaf problems or root diseases, 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
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
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, Nitrogen, Water soluble fertilizers
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Bacterial fruit blotch, Cabbage looper, Cucumber mosaic, Cutworms, 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
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
-
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
Nutrients, Vitamin C
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Food
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
CITRULLUS lanatus 'Moon and Stars'
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Moon and Stars Watermelon, Watermelon
In Hindi
Chayote
तरबूज़
In German
Chayote
Wassermelone
In French
Chayote
Pastèque
In Spanish
Chayote
sandía
In Greek
Chayote
καρπούζι
In Portuguese
chuchu
melancia
In Polish
Chayote
arbuz
In Latin
chayote
PEPO
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Cucurbitales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Sechium
Citrullus
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
51000
1
27800
👆🏻