Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Asia, Caribbean, Central America
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
207
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
secondary forest, Tropical Forests
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
3-810-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Pyramidal
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
1,220.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
760.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Light Yellow
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Gray Green, Sandy Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow, Light Yellow, Yellow green, Sandy Brown, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lanceolate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Average Water Needs
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune in the growing season, pruning needed for strong structure, Remove dead branches
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Compost, High phosphorus
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Downy mildew, Leaf rust, Mites, Squirrels
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Salt and Soil Compaction, Sun
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Squirrels
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Nausea, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Maintains teeth healthy, Remove blemishes
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Food for animals, Food for birds, Shelter for wildlife
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibiotic, anti-cancer, Anti-oxidant, Cardiovascular problems, Diarrhea, Fever, Improve heart health
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Culinary use, Grown for shade, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Shade Trees
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Annona reticulate
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
wild-sweetsop, bullock's-heart, ox-heart
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
ramphal
Chayote
In German
Netzannone
Chayote
In French
cachiman, cœur de bœuf
Chayote
In Spanish
Annona reticulata
Chayote
In Greek
Ramphal
Chayote
In Portuguese
coração-de-boi
chuchu
In Polish
Flaszowiec siatkowaty
Chayote
In Latin
Ramphal
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Magnoliales
Violales
Family
Tiliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Annona
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Magnoliids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Annoneae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Annonoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
1705
1
27800
👆🏻