Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
Southwestern United States
Mexico, Central America
Types
Baccharis sarothroides
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
107
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
riparian zones, Semi desert, Upland
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1010-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
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
White
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
creamy white
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblanceolate , Ovate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil, Heat Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs very little water
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut back old stems to the ground, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
can go long without fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Heat And Humidity
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Ground Cover, Showy Purposes, Wild gardens
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-inflammatory, Anti-oxidant, cholesterol-lowering
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Twigs
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Can be made into a herbal tea
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Groundcover
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
BACCHARIS 'Centennial'
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
desert broom , broom baccharis , greasewood
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
desert broom
Chayote
In German
Wüste Besen
Chayote
In French
desert broom
Chayote
In Spanish
escoba del desierto
Chayote
In Greek
desert broom
Chayote
In Portuguese
vassoura do deserto
chuchu
In Polish
desert broom
Chayote
In Latin
desert broom
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asterales
Violales
Family
Asteraceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Baccharis
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Astereae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
85
1
27800
👆🏻