Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Bulb or Corm or Tuber
Vegetable
Origin
South America, Brazil
Mexico, Central America
Types
-
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
307
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Mediterranean region, Subtropical climates, Temperate Regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
11-1510-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
10-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
21,22
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Rosette/Stemless
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
25.40 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
25.40 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Red, Blue Violet
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Light Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Several shades of Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oblong
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Spring, Early Summer, Summer
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground, Pot
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Leaf Cutting, Seedlings, Tubers
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Low
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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut or pinch the stems, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
20-20-20 amount, High phosphorus, Water soluble fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Citrus leaf miner
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Hummingbirds, pollinators
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Beautification, Bouquets, Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, Anti-oxidant, Antiviral, hepatoprotective
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used as Ornamental plant, Used for its medicinal properties
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Groundcover, Houseplant, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
SINNINGIA speciosa
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Sinningia, Gloxinia
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Sinningia
Chayote
In German
Sinningia
Chayote
In French
Sinningia
Chayote
In Spanish
Sinningia
Chayote
In Greek
Sinningia
Chayote
In Portuguese
Sinningia
chuchu
In Polish
Sinningia
Chayote
In Latin
Sinningia
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Lamiales
Violales
Family
Gesnariaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Sinningia
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Gloxinieae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
655
1
27800
👆🏻