Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Fruit
Vegetable
Origin
Africa, Southern Africa
Mexico, Central America
Types
Cathay Belle
Diana
Gold Baby
Gold Flower
Golden Midget
Golden Sunrise
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
12007
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Subtropical climates, Tropical regions
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
12-4
12-3
Sunset Zone
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
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Yellow, Light Yellow, Dark Green, Black
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green, Gray Green, Light Yellow
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green, Gray Green, Light Yellow
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green, Gray Green, Light Yellow
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Lobed
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Summer, Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very 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
Keep the ground moist but not water-logged, Over-watering can cause leaf problems or root diseases, Requires regular watering
Medium
In Summer
Lots of watering
Lots of watering
In Spring
Moderate
Moderate
In Winter
Average Water
Average Water
Soil
Soil pH
Neutral, Slightly Acidic
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, Nitrogen, Water soluble fertilizers
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Bacterial fruit blotch, Cabbage looper, Cucumber mosaic, Cutworms, Red blotch
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
Coarse
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
-
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Nutrients, Vitamin C
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Used As Food
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Edible, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Herb / Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
CITRULLUS lanatus 'Moon and Stars'
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Moon and Stars Watermelon, Watermelon
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
तरबूज़
Chayote
In German
Wassermelone
Chayote
In French
Pastèque
Chayote
In Spanish
sandía
Chayote
In Greek
καρπούζι
Chayote
In Portuguese
melancia
chuchu
In Polish
arbuz
Chayote
In Latin
PEPO
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Cucurbitales
Violales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Citrullus
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
10005
1
27800
👆🏻