Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Mediterranean, Turkey, Africa, Southern Asia, Western Asia
Mexico, Central America
Types
3
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
37
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions, Tropical regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-3
Sunset Zone
-
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Pink, Lavender
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Green, Bronze, Tan, Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Sea Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Sea Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Sea Green, Gray Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Small oblong
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall, Late Fall, Early Winter, Winter, Late Winter
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Frost
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Transplanting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Medium, Requires a lot of watering, Requires watering in the growing season
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Compost
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Red blotch
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions
Flowers
Showy
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Insects
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Constipation, Legume allergy
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
constipation, High cholestrol, Kidney problems, Nutrients
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Economic Purpose, Employed in herbal medicine, Used As Food
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CICER arietinum
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Bengal Gram, Chickpea , Garbanzo Bean, Indian Pea
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
चना
Chayote
In German
Kichererbse
Chayote
In French
Pois chiche
Chayote
In Spanish
Garbanzo
Chayote
In Greek
Ρεβίθι
Chayote
In Portuguese
grão de bico
chuchu
In Polish
Groch włoski
Chayote
In Latin
CICER
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Spermatophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Violales
Family
Fabaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cicer
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Viceae Alef
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Papilionoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
905
1
27800
👆🏻