Life Span
Perennial
Annual and Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Flowering Plants, Shrub
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Mexico, Southwestern United States, Texas
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
-
Number of Varieties
750
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
Hot climate regions, Humid climates
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-155-9
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
7, 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 cm45.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
White
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
-
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Dark Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green, Light Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green, Dark Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Long linear and narrow
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
All year
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Moist
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Mid Summer, Summer
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought
Where to Plant?
Ground
Container, Ground, Pot
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Low
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Get enough water whenever the soil is dry
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Average Water
In Winter
Average Water
Ample Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Neutral, Slightly Acidic, Slightly Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Moist
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 dead branches, Remove dead flowers
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Fertilizer every month during spring, General garden fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Blight, Botrytis Blight, Leaf spot, Powdery mildew, Root rot
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Drought
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
Fine
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Butterflies
Allergy
-
allergic reaction, poisonous if ingested, Skin irritation
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Borders, Showy Purposes, small hedge
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
-
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Food for insects, Provides ground cover
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
-
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers, Leaves
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Economic Purpose, Used as Ornamental plant
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Bedding Plant, Flower borders, Hedges
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Zinnia acerosa
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
desert zinnia, wild zinnia, white zinnia and spinyleaf zinnia
In Hindi
Chayote
White Zinnia
In German
Chayote
Weiß Zinnia
In French
Chayote
Blanc Zinnia
In Spanish
Chayote
Zinnia blanco
In Greek
Chayote
λευκό Zinnia
In Portuguese
chuchu
branco Zinnia
In Polish
Chayote
Biały Zinnia
In Latin
chayote
Zinnia album
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Asterales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Asteraceae
Genus
Sechium
Zinnia
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
-
Number of Species
520
1
27800
👆🏻