Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
Mexico, Central America
Mexico, Central America
Types
CUCURBITA argyrosperma 'Green Striped Cushaw'
CUCURBITA argyrosperma 'Campeche'
CUCURBITA argyrosperma 'Survivor'
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
47
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
-
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
8-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, H1, H2, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 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
Prostrate/Trailing
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
240.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow, Orange, Gold
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White, Green, Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Dark Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Reniform
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
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 over Water
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Well drained
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, Apply N-P-K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Alternaria Leaf Spot, Aphids, Armyworm, Bacteria wilt, Bacterial leaf spot, Cabbage looper, Cutworms, Red blotch, Striped cucumber beetles
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Humidity, Moisture
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
Beetles, Caterpillar, Cutworms
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Cough, Vomiting
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Vermifuge
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
For making oil
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CUCURBITA argyrosperma
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Squash
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Squash
Chayote
In German
Squash
Chayote
In French
Squash
Chayote
In Spanish
calabacín
Chayote
In Greek
σκουός
Chayote
In Portuguese
abóbora
chuchu
In Polish
kabaczek
Chayote
In Latin
cucurbita
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Violales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucurbita
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
205
1
27800
👆🏻