Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Central Asia, Eastern Europe, Europe, Nepal, Southern Asia, Southern Europe
Mexico, Central America
Types
Myristica fragrans
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
1507
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cold Regions, Hills, Hillside
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,000.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
-
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Green, Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Copper
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
All year
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
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
Late Spring, Early Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires watering in the growing season, Water Deeply, Water when top layer of soil becomes dry
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
Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
In Early Autumn, Prune to stimulate growth, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in spring, Nitrogen
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Anthracnose, Armillaria mellea, Blight, Caterpillars, Crown gall, Crown rot, fungus, Powdery mildew, Red blotch
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Frost
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
Aphids, Bees, Beetles, Caterpillar, Small mammals
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Abdominal distension, flushing of face, hallucinations, Headache, Pollen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Good for skin and hair
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Absorbs greenhouse gases, Absorbs huge amounts of CO2, Air purification, Amazing growth rate, Erosion control, Food for birds, Food for insects, Forms dense stands, Nesting sites for birds, Prevent Soil Erosion, Shadow Tree, Shelter for wildlife, Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anemia, anti-cancer, Antispasmodic, Asthma, Diarrhea, Healing, Stomach spasms, Thoat infection
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Making deodorants, Oil is used for aromatherapy, Oil is used in mosquito repellents, Used as a laxative, Used for its medicinal properties, Used for making soaps, Used in biomass
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Groundcover
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Myristica fragrans
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Nutmeg
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
जायफल
Chayote
In German
Muskatnuss
Chayote
In French
noix de muscade
Chayote
In Spanish
nuez moscada
Chayote
In Greek
μοσχοκάρυδο
Chayote
In Portuguese
noz-moscada
chuchu
In Polish
gałka muszkatołowa
Chayote
In Latin
nutmeg
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Magnoliales
Violales
Family
Poaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Myristica
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Myrteae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Myrtoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
25
1
27800
👆🏻