Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
South America, Brazil
Mexico, Central America
Types
Cactus
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
307
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rocky areas, Terrestrial, Tropical regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Prostrate/Trailing
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
25.40 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Magenta, Crimson
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Pale Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Winter, Late Winter
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat And Humidity, Heat Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Never Over-water, Requires consistently moist soil, Requires regular watering, Requires watering in the growing season, Water more in summer
Medium
In Summer
Ample Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Ample Water
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in growing season, fertilize in spring
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Diseases, Fungal Diseases, Red blotch
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Heat And Humidity, Heat Tolerance
Dry Conditions
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
Single, Semi-Double
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
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
breathing problems
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Indoor 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
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, Hanging Basket, Houseplant, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Hatiora gaertneri
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Whitsun cactus
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
ईस्टर कैक्टस
Chayote
In German
Osterkaktus
Chayote
In French
cactus de Pâques
Chayote
In Spanish
cactus de Pascua
Chayote
In Greek
Πάσχα κάκτος
Chayote
In Portuguese
cacto Páscoa
chuchu
In Polish
Wielkanocny kaktus
Chayote
In Latin
Pascha Cactus
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Cactaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Hatiora
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Rhipsalideae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
255
1
27800
👆🏻