Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Grass
Vegetable
Origin
United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, North-Central United States, Central United States, South-Central United States, Canada
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
57
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Damp shady woods
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9 - 5
12-3
Sunset Zone
3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
45.70 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
45.70 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Summer, Late Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires a lot of 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
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, fertilize in growing season
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Pests and diseases free, 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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ground Cover, Showy Purposes
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
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
-
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Wildflower
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
MILIUM effusum
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Millet Grass, Wood Millet
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Milium effusum
Chayote
In German
Wald-Flattergras
Chayote
In French
millet étalé
Chayote
In Spanish
effusum milium
Chayote
In Greek
milium effusum
Chayote
In Portuguese
milium effusum
chuchu
In Polish
prosownica rozpierzchła
Chayote
In Latin
milium effusum
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cyperales
Violales
Family
Poaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Milium
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
15
1
27800
👆🏻