Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Caribbean, Central America, South America, Brazil
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
-7
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, subtropical regions
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
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
550.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Ivory, Gray
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Magenta, Violet
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
Cuneate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Late Winter
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site, Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Does not require regular watering
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
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
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
Red blotch
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Asthma
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Wood
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used for woodware, Wood is used for making furniture
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Street Trees, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
TRIPLARIS americana
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Ant Stick, Macaw, St. Mary's Stick
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Macaw
Chayote
In German
Ara
Chayote
In French
ara
Chayote
In Spanish
guacamayo
Chayote
In Greek
μακώ
Chayote
In Portuguese
arara
chuchu
In Polish
ara
Chayote
In Latin
Ara
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Polygonaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Triplaris
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
-5
1
27800
👆🏻