Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
Western United States, Mexico
Mexico, Central America
Types
Dudleya brittonii
Dudleya pulverulenta
Dudleya farinosa
Dudleya caespitosa
Dudleya virens
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
307
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Barren waste areas, Semi arid regions, Semi desert
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
7, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Rosette/Stemless
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
7.60 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
7.60 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Pink
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Gray
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Acuminate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
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?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Needs less watering
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Cochineal insect, Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Rodent, Scale insects
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry Conditions, Dry soil, Full Sun, Shade areas
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
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
-
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Rock Garden, Wall
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
DUDLEYA
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Chalk Lettuce
Chalk dudleya
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Dudleya
Chayote
In German
Dudleya
Chayote
In French
Dudleya
Chayote
In Spanish
dudleya
Chayote
In Greek
Dudleya
Chayote
In Portuguese
Dudleya
chuchu
In Polish
Dudleya
Chayote
In Latin
Dudley
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Saxifragales
Violales
Family
Crassulaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Dudleya
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
455
1
27800
👆🏻