Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Vegetable
Origin
-
Mexico, Central America
Types
Thymus citriodorus
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
157
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
gardens
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-6
12-3
Sunset Zone
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
Cushion/Mound-forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
25.40 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Pink, Lavender
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
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
Ovate-lanceolate
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
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Deer resistant, Drought, Frost
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Softwood cuttings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
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 flowers, 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
Root rot
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Deer resistant, Drought, Frost
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Wildlife
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Avoid during Pregnancy, Nausea
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Good for skin
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Bronchitis, Combats Stress, Indigestion, Upset stomach
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Oil is used for aromatherapy, Used in herbal medicines, Used in salads, Used to make herbal teas
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edging, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Thymus citriodorus
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Lemon Thyme, Citrus thyme
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Lemon Thyme
Chayote
In German
Zitronenthymian
Chayote
In French
citron Thyme
Chayote
In Spanish
citron Thyme
Chayote
In Greek
λεμόνι Θυμάρι
Chayote
In Portuguese
limão Tomilho
chuchu
In Polish
tymianek cytrynowy
Chayote
In Latin
lemon Thyme
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Violales
Family
Lamiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Thymus
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Nepetoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
3505
1
27800
👆🏻