Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Broadleaf Evergreen
Vegetable
Origin
Australia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Acacia retinodes retinodes, Acacia retinodes uncifolia
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
27
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
open forests
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-3
Sunset Zone
8, 9, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval/Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
530.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
530.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
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
Blue Green, Gray Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Linear
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Spring, Summer, Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Salt
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings
Medium
In Summer
Xeric/Desert, Drought Tolerant
Lots of watering
In Spring
Adequately
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune after flowering
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 spider mite
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt
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
Windbreak
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
-
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used as a dye
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Mixed Border, Screening, Wind Break
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Acacia retinodes
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Ever-blooming Wattle, Silver Wattle, Water Wattle
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Silver Wattle
Chayote
In German
Silver Wattle
Chayote
In French
Mimosa d'été
Chayote
In Spanish
acacia amarilla
Chayote
In Greek
ασήμι μιμόζα
Chayote
In Portuguese
Acacia retinodes
chuchu
In Polish
Silver Wattle
Chayote
In Latin
Silver Wattle
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Fabales
Violales
Family
Fabaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Acacia
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
9505
1
27800
👆🏻