Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Latin America and the Caribbean
Mexico, Central America
Types
Heliconiaceae
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
1947
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Humid climates, Warmer regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Thicket/Colonizing
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, Yellow, Red, Green, Orange, Orange Red
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Orange
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Ovate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Micropropagation
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
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
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Fertilize every two months
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Mealybugs, Nematodes, Red blotch, Soft scales
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Salt
Dry Conditions
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Hummingbirds, Insects
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Healing
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Root, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Florist trade and landscaping
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Cutflower, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Mixed Border, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
HELICONIA psittacorum 'Lady Di'
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Heliconia, Lady Di Heliconia, Parakeet Flower
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Heliconia
Chayote
In German
Heliconia
Chayote
In French
Heliconia
Chayote
In Spanish
Heliconia
Chayote
In Greek
Heliconia
Chayote
In Portuguese
Heliconia
chuchu
In Polish
Heliconia
Chayote
In Latin
Heliconia
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Violales
Family
Heliconiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Heliconia
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
1985
1
27800
👆🏻