Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Palm or Cycad
Vegetable
Origin
Caribbean
Mexico, Central America
Types
Wild sago
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
37
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Loamy soils, Sandy areas
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Cushion/Mound-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season, Water occasionally
Medium
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, Nitrogen, Requires high amount of nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions
Flowers
-
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
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
Container, Foundation, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
ZAMIA pumila
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Coontie
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Coontie
Chayote
In German
Coontie
Chayote
In French
coontie
Chayote
In Spanish
coontie
Chayote
In Greek
Coontie
Chayote
In Portuguese
Coontie
chuchu
In Polish
Coontie
Chayote
In Latin
Coontie
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Cycadophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Cycadopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cycadales
Violales
Family
Zamiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Zamia
Sechium
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Zamieae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Zamioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
275
1
27800
👆🏻