Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Eastern Africa, Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, Melanesia, Micronesia, Polynesia, Australia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Mareer, Manjak
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
157
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Saline Soils, Sandy areas
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
670.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Yellow, Gold, Orange Red
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Green, Chocolate
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
Oval
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full 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
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
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
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Pinch or prune as they grow to promote branching and bushiness, Remove damaged 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
Root rot, Snails
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought and Salt
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Dizziness, Throat itching, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Making cosmetics, used as a dye
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Absorbs greenhouse gases, No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Shadow Tree
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Aging, Hair Loss
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Making Shampoo, Showy Purposes, Used as Biofuel, Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CORDIA subcordata
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Beach Cordia, Island Walnut, Kou, Sea Trumpet
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Cordia subcordata
Chayote
In German
Cordia subcordata
Chayote
In French
Cordia subcordata
Chayote
In Spanish
Cordia subcordata
Chayote
In Greek
Cordia subcordata
Chayote
In Portuguese
Cordia subcordata
chuchu
In Polish
Cordia subcordata
Chayote
In Latin
Cordia subcordata
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Violales
Family
Boraginaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cordia
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
15
1
27800
👆🏻