Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
North America, United States, Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, Central United States, Texas, Canada
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
257
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Wet lands
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
240.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow green
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Light Yellow, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Orange, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Red, Orange, Orange Red
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Pinnate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
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
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
-
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
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial Sun, Partial shade
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
-
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Irritate the mucus membrane, Rash, Skin irritation
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
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
Sap
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used to make a black varnish for use in woodworking
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
-
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
TOXICODENDRON vernix
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Poison Dogwood, Poison Elderberry, Poison Sumac, Swamp Sumac
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
toxicodendron vernix
Chayote
In German
toxicodendron vernix
Chayote
In French
TOXICODENDRON vernix
Chayote
In Spanish
vérnix TOXICODENDRON
Chayote
In Greek
Toxicodendron vernix
Chayote
In Portuguese
TOXICODENDRON vernix
chuchu
In Polish
toxicodendron vernix
Chayote
In Latin
Natrum vernix
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Sapindales
Violales
Family
Anacardiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Toxicodendron
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
355
1
27800
👆🏻