Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Vegetable
Origin
-
Mexico, Central America
Types
Ocimum americanum
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
207
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
-
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.50 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.50 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray 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
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
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, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
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
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
Downy mildew, Dry root rot, Fusarium wilt, Gray mold, Japanese Beetles
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
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
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Beetles, Leaf Hoppers, Nematodes
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Hives, Itchiness, Rash, Swelling
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Low calories, Manganese, Potassium, ß-carotene, Vitamin A, Vitamin K
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Added to salads, Powdered and mixed with tea, Used in tea, wine and sweet dishes, Used to flavour soups
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
OCIMUM x citriodorum
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Lemon Basil
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
नींबू तुलसी
Chayote
In German
Limonenbasilikum
Chayote
In French
citron basilic
Chayote
In Spanish
Ocimum × citriodorum
Chayote
In Greek
λεμόνι βασιλικός
Chayote
In Portuguese
manjericão limão
chuchu
In Polish
Bazylia cytrynowa
Chayote
In Latin
lemon Basilius
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Violales
Family
Lamiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Ocimum
Sechium
Clade
Asterids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
1695
1
27800
👆🏻