Life Span
Perennial
Perennial
Type
Tree
Vegetable
Origin
Europe, Northern Africa, Central Asia, Western Asia
Mexico, Central America
Types
Salix alba, Salix alba 'Vitellina'
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
4007
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
River side, Riverbanks, sluggish streams and rivers, stream banks, Stream side
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
4-910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
9-1
12-3
Sunset Zone
A2, A3, 1a, 1b, 2a, 2b, 3a, 3b, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Oval or Rounded
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
2,290.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
1,220.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Yellow
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Brown
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
Lanceolate
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
Spring, Summer
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
Acidic, Neutral
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Average
Well drained
Bloom Time
Early Spring
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Wet Site
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Budding, Grafting, Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Do not water frequently, Needs very little 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
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Type
Loam
Loam, Sand
Soil Drainage Capacity
Average
Well drained
Sun Exposure
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Pruning
Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead flowers, Remove dead leaves, Remove dead or diseased plant parts
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Apply N-P-K
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Aphids, Caterpillars, Flea Beetles, Red blotch, Rust, sawflies
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Drought, Full Sun, Heat And Humidity, Wet Site
Dry Conditions
Flowers
-
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
Fine
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
-
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Rhinitis
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
-
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
-
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Air purification
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Anodyne, anti-inflammatory, Antirheumatic, Antiseptic, Astringent, Hypnotic, Sedative
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Bark, Leaves
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Charcoal, Paper pulp
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Feature Plant, Shade Trees, Water Gardens
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
SALIX alba
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
White Willow
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
White Willow
Chayote
In German
Oiite Oilloo
Chayote
In French
Le saule blanc
Chayote
In Spanish
Le saule blanco
Chayote
In Greek
Λευκή ιτιά
Chayote
In Portuguese
O salgueiro branco
chuchu
In Polish
wierzba biała
Chayote
In Latin
Populus alba
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Tracheophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Malpighiales
Violales
Family
Salicaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Salix
Sechium
Clade
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
-
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
4005
1
27800
👆🏻