Life Span
Annual and Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Western United States, California, Mexico
Mexico, Central America
Types
Calocedrus decurrens
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
17
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
low mountains, Mountain tops, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-810-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2,130.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
180.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Sandy Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Slow
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
-
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering, Water occasionally
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune if you want to improve plant shape, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
No fertilizers needed
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Insects
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions
Flowers
-
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Stomach pain
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Making Perfumes, Used in pencil industry
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Screening / Wind Break, Shade Trees, Street Trees
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CALOCEDRUS decurrens
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Incense Cedar
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Incense Cedar
Chayote
In German
Zeder
Chayote
In French
Encens Cedar
Chayote
In Spanish
cedro de incienso
Chayote
In Greek
θυμίαμα Κέδρος
Chayote
In Portuguese
cedro de incenso
chuchu
In Polish
kadzidło Cedar
Chayote
In Latin
incensum Cedar
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Pinopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Pinales
Violales
Family
Cupressaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Calocedrus
Sechium
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
505
1
27800
👆🏻