Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Cactus or Succulent
Vegetable
Origin
South America, Brazil
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
07
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rocky areas, rocky outcrops, Sandy areas
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-10
12-3
Sunset Zone
H2, 13, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
760.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red, Violet
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
-
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
-
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
-
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Succulent
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
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
Early Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Cuttings, Seedlings, Vegetative
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs less watering
Medium
In Summer
Regular watering required
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
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
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, No fertilizers needed
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
-
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
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
-
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Fruit Bats, Moths, pollinators
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Toxic
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
along a porch, deck or patio, Beautification, Borders, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes, small hedge, Used for decorating walls, fences, gates, hedges, etc.
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Food for birds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used in construction, Used to feed livestock
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Houseplant, Landscape, Rock Garden, Showy Tree, Wall
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CEREUS jamacaru
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
mandacaru, cardeiro, Night-blooming Cactus, Pleated Cereus
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
mandacaru
Chayote
In German
Cereus jamacaru
Chayote
In French
Cereus jamacaru
Chayote
In Spanish
Cereus jamacaru
Chayote
In Greek
Mandacaru
Chayote
In Portuguese
Mandacaru
chuchu
In Polish
Mandacaru
Chayote
In Latin
Mandacaru
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Caryophyllales
Violales
Family
Cactaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cereus
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Core eudicots, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Careeae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Cactoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
345
1
27800
👆🏻