Life Span
Perennial
Annual
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America
America
Types
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Cucurbita pepo
Number of Varieties
720
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Hillside
agricultural areas
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-15-9999
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-3
-
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
-
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Bushy, Evergreen
Plant Size
Minimum Height
610.00 cm60.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm30.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Green
Lavender
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
Purple, Black
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
Green
Shape
Leaf Shape
Irregular
Heart shaped, toothed with three to five lobes
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
-
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Moist, Well drained
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Indeterminate
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Dry Conditions
Drought, Pollution, Shade areas, Soil Compaction
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Seedlings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Medium
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do not water excessively
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, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Clay, Loam, Sand
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
cut main flower spike, Proper mowing practices are necessary, Remove damaged fruit
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks, Compost
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Bacterial Stem Rot, Mildew, Red blotch, Ring Rot, White spots
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Shade areas, Shallow soil, Soil Compaction
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
Medium
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flying insects
Leafminer, Mice, Rodents
Allergy
-
Sore Throat, Stomach pain
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Farmland
Ornamental use
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin
Anti-ageing, Remove blemishes
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Fixes Nitrogen, Food for animals
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Antibacterial, Antioxidants, Detoxification, Rich in Potassium, Weight loss
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Flowers, Fruits
Other Uses
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Cattle Fodder, Culinary use, Used as a laxative
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Container, Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Botanical Name
SECHIUM edule
Cucurbita pepo
Common Name
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
Zucchini, courgette
In Hindi
Chayote
तोरी
In German
Chayote
Zucchini
In French
Chayote
Courgette
In Spanish
Chayote
calabacín
In Greek
Chayote
κολοκύθι
In Portuguese
chuchu
abobrinha
In Polish
Chayote
Kabaczek
In Latin
chayote
zucchini
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Violales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Sechium
Cucurbita
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
-
Tribe
Sicyeae
-
Subfamily
Cucurbitoideae
Solanoideae
Number of Species
5-
1
27800
👆🏻