Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Madagascar
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
507
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
subtropical regions, Tropical areas
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1510-15
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
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
25.40 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
15.20 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Red, Pink, Peach
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Elliptic and Ovate
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively, Needs less watering, Needs small amount of water
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
Clay, 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
aster yellow, Leaf spot, Red blotch, Root rot, Slugs, Snails, Stem rot
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Pollution, 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
Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Toxic if not prepared properly
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Decorating walls, Ground Cover, Hanging Basket, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cancer, Diabetes, Hodgkin's lymphoma., Leukemia, Sore throat
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowering Tips, Leaves, stalk
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Showy Purposes, Traditional medicine, Use in Chinese herbology
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Bedding Plant, Container, Hanging Basket, Mixed Border, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CATHARANTHUS roseus
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Cooler Apricot Vinca, Madagascar Periwinkle, Vinca
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Vinca
Chayote
In German
Rosafarbene Catharanthe
Chayote
In French
Pervenche de Madagascar
Chayote
In Spanish
Catharanthus roseus
Chayote
In Greek
Catharanthus roseus
Chayote
In Portuguese
Catharanthus roseus
chuchu
In Polish
Katarantus różowy
Chayote
In Latin
Catharanthus roseus
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Gentianales
Violales
Family
Apocynaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Catharanthus
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Vicieae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Rauvolfioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
85
1
27800
👆🏻