Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tender Perennial
Vegetable
Origin
Southern Asia, Southeastern Asia, India, China, Japan, Australia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Oenanthe javanica, Helosciadium nodiflorum
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
27
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Bog Garden, Cultivated Beds, Ponds
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
9-1110-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-3
Sunset Zone
H1, 9, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Spreading
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
20.30 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
60.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
White
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
-
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Light Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
simple-pinnate or double-pinnate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Late Summer, Early Fall
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Divison, Layering, Seedlings, stem tip cuttings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs Very high moisture
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Poorly Drained
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun, Partial Sun, Partial shade
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove dead leaves
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Armyworm, Bacterial Blight, Damping off, Downy mildew
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Bees, Flies, Insects
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Bog Garden, Ground Cover
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Depurative, Febrifuge, Styptic
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Leaves, Root, Seeds
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used as a seasoning in soups, useful as a ground cover
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Groundcover, Herb / Vegetable, Water Gardens
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
OENANTHE javanica
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Java Water Dropwort, Water Celery, Water Parsley
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
Water Celery
Chayote
In German
Wasser Sellerie
Chayote
In French
Céleri d'eau
Chayote
In Spanish
El apio agua
Chayote
In Greek
Σέλινο νερό
Chayote
In Portuguese
Aipo água
chuchu
In Polish
Seler Woda
Chayote
In Latin
Aqua Apium
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Apiales
Violales
Family
Apiaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Oenanthe
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Asterids, Eudicots
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Oenantheae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Apioideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
15
1
27800
👆🏻