Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
Southwestern United States, Mexico
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
407
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Wild
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1010-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-8
12-3
Sunset Zone
10, 11, 12, 13
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
90.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
5.10 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Hot Pink
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Blue Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Blue Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Blue Green, Gray Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lance shaped
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring, Spring, Late Spring, Late Winter
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
-
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
occasional watering once established
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
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
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
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
Hummingbirds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
poisonous if ingested
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Borders, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
constipation, Stomach pain, Swelling, Wounds
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaves, Stem
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Showy Purposes, Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Cutflower, Mixed Border, Rock Garden / Wall, Wildflower
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
PENSTEMON parryi
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Parry's Beardtongue
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
penstemon parryi
Chayote
In German
penstemon parryi
Chayote
In French
penstemon parryi
Chayote
In Spanish
parryi penstemon
Chayote
In Greek
penstemon parryi
Chayote
In Portuguese
parryi penstemon
chuchu
In Polish
penstemon parryi
Chayote
In Latin
Persicaria californicum
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Violales
Family
Scrophulariaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Penstemon
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
15
1
27800
👆🏻