Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
North America, South America, Brazil
Mexico, Central America
Types
Peanut cactus
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
1287
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Desert, Sandy areas, Semi desert
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
12-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-3
Sunset Zone
12, 13, 16, 17, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Red, Purple, Orange, Rose
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Orange Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
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
Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Water once every two or three weeks, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
Medium
In Summer
Average Water
Lots of watering
In Spring
Average Water
Moderate
In Winter
Less Watering
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 dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season, fertilize in summer, Potassium
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Scale
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Dry soil, Full Sun, Heat Tolerance, Rocky Soil
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
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Skin cuts
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility, Very little waste
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Burns, Heals minor burns, Heart problems, High blood pressure, Wounds
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, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Houseplant, Rock Garden, Wall
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
ECHINOPSIS
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Hedgehog Cactus, Sea urchin cactus
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
हाथी कैक्टस
Chayote
In German
Igel Kaktus
Chayote
In French
hérisson cactus
Chayote
In Spanish
cactus de erizo
Chayote
In Greek
κάκτος σκαντζόχοιρος
Chayote
In Portuguese
hedgehog cactus
chuchu
In Polish
jeż kaktus
Chayote
In Latin
cactus
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Cactaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Echinopsis
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Trichocereeae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
20005
1
27800
👆🏻