Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Southeastern Asia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Eddoe taro, Dasheen taro
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
2007
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas, Hillside, Warm and moist climatic conditions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
10-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-8
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, H2, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
30.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White, Green
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
-
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Red
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Dark Green, Ivory
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Dark Green, Ivory
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
V-Shaped
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shallow soil
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs 2-3 times watering per week, Needs a lot of water initially
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
Well drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Partial shade, Full Shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
-
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer, Less fertilizing
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Rats, Snails
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Salt and Soil Compaction, Shade areas
Dry Conditions
Flowers
Insignificant
Insignificant
Flower Petal Number
-
Single
Fruits
Showy Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Edible Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrance
Fragrant Flower
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Fruit
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Leaf
✔
✘
✔
✘
Fragrant Bark/Stem
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Foliage
✔
✘
✔
✘
Showy Bark
✔
✘
✔
✘
Foliage Texture
Bold
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Glossy
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Bugs, Snails
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Swelling in mouth, Throat itching
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Poison Ivy, Skin cleanser, Weightloss
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
No fertilizer, pesticides, or herbicides needed, Prevent weeds
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Aging, Laxative, Weight loss
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaf Stalks, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food, Used as Ornamental plant
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Feature Plant, Groundcover, Houseplant, Mixed Border, Tropical
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
ALOCASIA micholitziana
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Elephant Ear, Taro
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
अरवी
Chayote
In German
Colocasia (Pflanzengattung)
Chayote
In French
Colocasia
Chayote
In Spanish
Colocasia
Chayote
In Greek
Colocasia
Chayote
In Portuguese
Colocasia
chuchu
In Polish
Kolokazja
Chayote
In Latin
Colocasia
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Arales
Violales
Family
Araceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Alocasia
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Colocasiodeae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Aroideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
105
1
27800
👆🏻