Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Europe
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
67
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
dry rocky watercourses
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
71.10 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Blue Violet, Lavender, Purple, White
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Sea Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Sea Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Sea Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate to elliptical
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
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 Spring, Early Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Rhizome division
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, 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, Bacterial leaf spot, Billbugs, Borers, Fungal leaf spots
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Gastric disturbances, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Juice of fresh root used for treatment of dropsy
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Root
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Making Perfumes, Used as a flavouring in food
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Feature Plant, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Iris germanica
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
German Iris
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
German Iris
Chayote
In German
German Iris
Chayote
In French
German Iris
Chayote
In Spanish
German Iris
Chayote
In Greek
German Iris
Chayote
In Portuguese
German Iris
chuchu
In Polish
German Iris
Chayote
In Latin
German Iris
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Asparagales
Violales
Family
Iridaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Iris
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Irideae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Iridoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
3005
1
27800
👆🏻