Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Central America, South America
Mexico, Central America
Types
Willow Leaf, Sieva Lima, Dixie Speckled
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
27
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Humid climates, Subtropical climates, Warmer regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
6-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-3
Sunset Zone
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Vining/Climbing
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
20.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green
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
Willow-shaped
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
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?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
High
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow to dry out slightly between watering, Do Not over Water, Requires regular watering
Medium
In Summer
Not so frequently
Lots of watering
In Spring
Alternate Days
Moderate
In Winter
Drought Tolerant
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune to control growth
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Armyworm, Bean rust, Bean weevils, Corn earworm, Cucumber beetles, Curly top, Damping off, Darkling beetles, Earwigs, Fusarium root rot, Grasshoppers, Leafhoppers, Loopers, Lycaenid pod borers, Lygus bugs, Mosaic viruses, Nematodes, Powdery mildew, Saltmarsh caterpillar, Seedcorn maggot, Slugs, Snails, Spider mites, Stink bugs, Thripes, White mold, Whiteflies
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions
Flowers
Insignificant
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
-
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
-
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
cholesterol-lowering, constipation, Digestive disorders, Fiber, Heart problems
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
PHASEOLUS lunatus
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Butter Bean, Lima Bean
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
सेम फली
Chayote
In German
Limabohne
Chayote
In French
Haricot de Lima
Chayote
In Spanish
Haba
Chayote
In Greek
Γίγαντας
Chayote
In Portuguese
feijão-Lima
chuchu
In Polish
Lima Bean
Chayote
In Latin
Lima Bean
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Violales
Family
Fabaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Phaseolus
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Phaseoleae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Faboideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
405
1
27800
👆🏻