Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
North America, Northeastern United States, North-Central United States, Alaska, Canada
Mexico, Central America
Types
Ornamental Tree
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
307
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Slopes, Swamps
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
2-710-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
7-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,520.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Black
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Light Yellow, Gold
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Egg-shaped
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Requires regular 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
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
Red blotch
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions
Flowers
Showy
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
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
-
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Cold, Cough, Gout, Laxative, Rheumatism, Wounds
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Wood
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Animal Feed, Sometimes used for making wine
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
BETULA papyrifera
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Paper Birch
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Paper birch
Chayote
In German
Papierbirke
Chayote
In French
Le bouleau à papier
Chayote
In Spanish
abedul de papel
Chayote
In Greek
σημύδα χαρτί
Chayote
In Portuguese
vidoeiro de papel
chuchu
In Polish
brzoza papieru
Chayote
In Latin
Paper betula
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fagales
Violales
Family
Betulaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Betula
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
605
1
27800
👆🏻