Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Shrub
Vegetable
Origin
South-Central United States, Southwestern United States, Texas
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
107
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Cultivated Beds
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12 - 4
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 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
30.50 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
61.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Orange, Lavender, Plum
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown, Chocolate
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lobed
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Summer, Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water excessively
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Moist, Sandy
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Loam, Moist, Sandy
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
-
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
-
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant, Used for making black dye
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Hanging Basket
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
PROBOSCIDEA louisianica
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Ram's Horn
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Proboscidea louisianica
Chayote
In German
Proboscidea louisianica
Chayote
In French
PROBOSCIDEA louisianica
Chayote
In Spanish
louisianica PROBOSCIDEA
Chayote
In Greek
proboscidea louisianica
Chayote
In Portuguese
proboscidea louisianica
chuchu
In Polish
Proboscidea louisianica
Chayote
In Latin
proboscidea louisianica
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Scrophulariales
Violales
Family
Pedaliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Proboscidea
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
55
1
27800
👆🏻