Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Vegetable
Origin
Asia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Avalon Lemon, Bears Lemon, Buddha's Hand, Bush Lemon, Citron
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
507
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mixed deciduous forest, Tropical regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1210-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
120.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
150.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Lemon yellow
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
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
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, occasional watering once established
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
Generally pruned to waist height, pruning needed for strong structure, 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, Doesn't require fertilization when grown in rich soil
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Grasshoppers, Leafminers, Red blotch, Rust, Snails
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, 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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Diarrhea, Hyperacidity, Sore Throat, Whooping Cough
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Glowing Skin, Maintains teeth healthy, Making cosmetics, Nourishes scalp, Perfumes, Skin inflammation
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Fixes Nitrogen, Insect Repellent, soil stabilisation
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Antibacterial, Antirheumatic, Appetizer, Bone strength, Digestion problems, Hangover, Healthy teeth, Nutrients, Obesity, Oral health, Skin irritation
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Fruits, Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Air freshner, Biomass for fuel, Can be made into a herbal tea, Leaves are used as mosquito repellent, Making Perfumes, Preferably used as black tea, Used as a nutritious food item
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Hedges, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Topiary / Bonsai / Espalier, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CITRUS limon
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Lemon
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
नींबू
Chayote
In German
Citrone or Limone or Zitrone
Chayote
In French
Citron or Citronnier
Chayote
In Spanish
Limón or Limonero
Chayote
In Greek
Λεμόνι [Lemóni]
Chayote
In Portuguese
Limão
chuchu
In Polish
Cytrynowy
Chayote
In Latin
Limon
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Violales
Family
Rutaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Citrus
Sechium
Clade
Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
505
1
27800
👆🏻