Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
-
Mexico, Central America
Types
Primula auricula, Bear's Ear
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
257
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Rocky Mountains
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 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
20.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Yellow Orange
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Light Yellow, Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Seedlings, Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs, Do Not over Water, Never Over-water, Requires regular watering, Water more in summer
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, 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 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
-
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Variety of soil types
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
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Borders, Landscape Designing, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin, Making cosmetics, Stops hair loss
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for insects, Versatility
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Eczema
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Root
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Decoration Purposes, Medicinal oil, Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Primula auricula
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
auricula, mountain cowslip or bear's ear
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
mountain cowslip
Chayote
In German
Aurikel
Chayote
In French
Primula auricula
Chayote
In Spanish
Primula auricula
Chayote
In Greek
mountain cowslip
Chayote
In Portuguese
cowslip montanha
chuchu
In Polish
Pierwiosnek łyszczak
Chayote
In Latin
Primula auricula
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Ericales
Violales
Family
Primulaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Primula
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Primuloideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
255
1
27800
👆🏻