Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
China
Mexico, Central America
Types
Morus alba, Morus alba 'Pendula'
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
27
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
Dappled Shade, Sunny Edge, Woodland Garden Secondary
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-810-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
8-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
A1, A2, A3, 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
Upright/Erect
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
-610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
7.80 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
White
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Yellow
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
-
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart shaped, toothed with three to five lobes
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Fall
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Very Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Clay, Loam, Sand
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Pollution, Drought, Salt, Soil Compaction
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings, Stem Cutting
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Needs small amount of water
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
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
Apply 10-10-10 amount
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Armillaria root rot, Bacterial Blight
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought
Dry Conditions
Flowers
Insignificant
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Insects, Silkworms
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Pollen, Severe allergen
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Hair-growth, Skin whitening
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Analgesic, Anthelmintic, Antibacterial, Astringent, Diuretic, Expectorant, Odontalgic
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Fruits, Inner Bark, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
As a tea substitute, Used as a thickener in soups, Used to make baskets
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Shade Trees, Street Trees
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
MORUS alba
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
White Mulberry
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
सफेद शहतूत
Chayote
In German
Weiß Mulberry
Chayote
In French
Mûrier blanc
Chayote
In Spanish
White Mulberry
Chayote
In Greek
Λευκή Μουριά
Chayote
In Portuguese
Branco Mulberry
chuchu
In Polish
Biały Mulberry
Chayote
In Latin
Morus alba
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Urticales
Violales
Family
Moraceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Morus
Sechium
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
Moreae
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
1505
1
27800
👆🏻