Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Northeastern United States, Mid-Atlantic United States, Southeastern United States, South-Central United States
Mexico, Central America
Types
Cherry laurel, California Bay Laurel, Spotted laurel
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
37
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Tropical regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
5-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-6
12-3
Sunset Zone
4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
460.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
300.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Ivory
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Orange Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Silver
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Light Green, Blue Green, Silver
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green, Tan, Silver
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green, Yellow green, Tan
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Oval
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, 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
Wet Site
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Grafting, Stem Planting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do Not over Water, occasional watering once established
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
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Prune for shortening long shoots, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
fertilize in growing season
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Beetles, Fusarium wilt, Rust, Scab
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
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
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Birds, Butterflies
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
allergic conjunctivitis, Nausea, wheezing
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Cottage Garden, Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
For treating wrinkles, Hair Conditioner, Making cosmetics
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification, Indoor Air Purification, Insect Repellent
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Acne, Cancer, Diarrhea, Emollient, Migraines, Oral health, treating poison ivy
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Leaf Stalks, Stem
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Florist trade and landscaping, Making Perfumes, Oil is used in perfume, soaps, creams, etc., Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Foundation, Shade Trees
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Laurus nobilis
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Sweetbay
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Laurus nobilis
Chayote
In German
Echter Lorbeer
Chayote
In French
Laurus nobilis
Chayote
In Spanish
Laurus nobilis
Chayote
In Greek
Laurus nobilis
Chayote
In Portuguese
Loureiro
chuchu
In Polish
Wawrzyn szlachetny
Chayote
In Latin
Laurus nobilis
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Laurales
Violales
Family
Magnoliaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Laurus
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Epidendreae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Epidendroideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
35
1
27800
👆🏻