Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
-
Mexico, Central America
Types
Chitalpa tashkentensis
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
37
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dry areas, Semi desert
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-5
12-3
Sunset Zone
3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
460.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Purple, Pink, Light Pink, Lavender
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Elliptic
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer, Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Water Deeply, Water less during winter
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts, Requires little pruning, Requires very little pruning
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in growing season
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects, Red blotch
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Heat Tolerance
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
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Food for birds, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Mixed Border, Shade Trees
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
X CHITALPA tashkentensis
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Chitalpa
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Chitalpa संयंत्र
Chayote
In German
Chitalpa Pflanze
Chayote
In French
plante Chitalpa
Chayote
In Spanish
planta Chitalpa
Chayote
In Greek
φυτό Chitalpa
Chayote
In Portuguese
planta Chitalpa
chuchu
In Polish
Chitalpa roślin
Chayote
In Latin
Chitalpa herba
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
-
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Violales
Family
Bignoniaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Chitalpa
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
25
1
27800
👆🏻