Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Herbs
Vegetable
Origin
Europe, Asia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Thodopuza, Red streaked, Alleppey
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
307
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Loamy soils, Tropical Forests, Tropical regions, Well Drained
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
7-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
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
Clump-Forming
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
50.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
100.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Green, Light Green, Yellow green
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Tan, Brown
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Yellow green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Long Elliptic
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Medium
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Mid Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Heat Tolerance, Humidity
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Container, Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
From Rhizomes, Root Division
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Keep ground moist, Requires watering in the growing season
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
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Cut back old stems to the ground, Prune after harvesting, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Compost, Fertilize the soil before planting, organic fertlizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Leaf Hoppers, Mites, Scale, Snails
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Heat Tolerance, Humidity, Shallow soil
Dry Conditions
Flowers
✔
✘
✔
✘
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
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Aphids, Caterpillar, Mites, Rabbits, Snails
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Abdominal distension, Blurred vision, Oral Allergy
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Showy Purposes
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Acne, Anti-ageing, Blackheads, Blood purifying, Making cosmetics, Natural Sunscreen, Remove blemishes, Skin inflammation
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Fixes Nitrogen, Prevent weeds, Provides ground cover
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Abdominal Disease, Acne, Alzheimer’s Disease, Antibacterial, antimicrobial, Antiseptic, Antispasmodic, Atherosclerosis, Brain disease, Carminative, Cold, Diarrhea, Digestion problems, Eczema, Liver problems, Menstrual Cramps, Treat Parasitic Intestinal Worms, Treatment of ulcers, Urinary tract problems
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Whole plant
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Cosmetics, Culinary use, Used as an ointment, Used as colouring in foods, Used as insect repellent
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Alpine, Cutflower, Edible, Herb / Vegetable, Mixed Border
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Curcuma longa
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Turmeric, Curcuma
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
हल्दी
Chayote
In German
Kurkuma
Chayote
In French
curcuma
Chayote
In Spanish
Curcuma longa
Chayote
In Greek
κουρκούμη
Chayote
In Portuguese
curcuma
chuchu
In Polish
kurkuma
Chayote
In Latin
turmeric
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Liliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Zingiberales
Violales
Family
Zingiberaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Curcuma
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Commelinids, Monocots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Zingibereae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Zingiberoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
1005
1
27800
👆🏻