Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Vegetable
Origin
Europe, Mediterranean
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
3007
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Sandy areas, Stony hillsides, Upland soils
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
A2, A3, 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
Mat-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
5.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
10.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Purple, Light Pink
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
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
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
Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
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
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
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Flies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Folklore
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, useful as a ground cover
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edging, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Lawns and Turf, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
THYMUS serpyllum
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Creeping Thyme, Breckland thyme, Breckland-garden, Mother-of-thyme, Wild thyme
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Creeping Thyme
Chayote
In German
Feldthymian, Quendel
Chayote
In French
Serpolet, Thym sauvage
Chayote
In Spanish
Serpol, Tomillo
Chayote
In Greek
Creeping Thyme
Chayote
In Portuguese
Tomilho
chuchu
In Polish
Creeping Thyme
Chayote
In Latin
Creeping Thyme
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Violales
Family
Lamiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Thymus
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Mentheae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
2595
1
27800
👆🏻