Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Europe
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
57
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Moist Soils
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-1010-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-3
12-3
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, 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
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
15.20 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.70 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Sienna, Black
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
White, Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
White, Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
White, Green, Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Do not water the foliage, Keep the Soil well drained
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
8-8-8, since leafy plants, use higher nitrogen content fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Beetles, Cabbage looper, Downy mildew, Fusarium leaf spot, Rust
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Full Sun, Humidity, Shallow soil
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
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Caterpillar, Mites
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Diarrhea, Dizziness, Nausea
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Hair Conditioner, Skin cleanser
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Fixes Nitrogen, Food for animals
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Anti-oxidant, Digestion problems, Eliminate toxins, Nutritive, Obesity, Rich in Potassium
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Culinary use, Sauces, Used to promote healthy blood flow during menstruation
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Wildflower
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
BRASSICA rapa( Chinensis Group)
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Bok Choy, Chinese Cabbage, Choy Sum, Pak Choi
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
choy sum
Chayote
In German
choy sum
Chayote
In French
choy sum
Chayote
In Spanish
choy sum
Chayote
In Greek
choy sum
Chayote
In Portuguese
choy sum
chuchu
In Polish
choy sum
Chayote
In Latin
choy sum
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Capparales
Violales
Family
Brassicaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Brassica
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
185
1
27800
👆🏻