Life Span
Annual
Perennial
Type
Vegetable
Vegetable
Origin
America
Mexico, Central America
Types
Cucurbita pepo
Sechium edule, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear
Number of Varieties
207
0
40000
👆🏻
Habitat
agricultural areas
Hillside
USDA Hardiness Zone
-999910-15
0
99
👆🏻
AHS Heat Zone
-
12-3
Sunset Zone
-
H1, H2, 14, 15, 16, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Habit
Bushy, Evergreen
Vining/Climbing
Plant Size
Minimum Height
60.00 cm610.00 cm
0
3900
👆🏻
Minimum Width
30.00 cm25.00 cm
0
6350
👆🏻
Plant Color
Flower Color
Lavender
Light Green
Flower Color Modifier
Bicolor
Bicolor
Fruit Color
Purple, Black
Green
Leaf Color in Spring
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Summer
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Fall
Green
Green
Leaf Color in Winter
Green
-
Shape
Leaf Shape
Heart shaped, toothed with three to five lobes
Irregular
Thorns
✔
✘
✔
✘
Plant Season
-
Spring, Summer, Fall
Growing Conditions
Sunlight
Full Sun
Full Sun, Partial Sun
Growth Rate
Fast
Fast
Type of Soil
Loam, Moist, Well drained
Loam, Sand
The pH of Soil
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Acidic, Neutral, Alkaline
Soil Drainage
Well drained
Well drained
Bloom Time
Indeterminate
Late Summer, Early Fall, Fall
Repeat Bloomer
✔
✘
✔
✘
Tolerances
Drought, Pollution, Shade areas, Soil Compaction
Dry Conditions
Where to Plant?
Ground
Ground
How to Plant?
Seedlings
Seedlings, vegetative cuttings
Plant Maintenance
Medium
Medium
Watering Plants
Watering Requirements
Allow soil to be completely dry in between waterings, Do not water excessively
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
cut main flower spike, Proper mowing practices are necessary, Remove damaged fruit
Remove damaged fruit, Remove damaged leaves, Remove dead branches, Remove dead leaves
Fertilizers
Balanced liquid fertilizer every 4 weeks, Compost
All-Purpose Liquid Fertilizer
Pests and Diseases
Bacterial Stem Rot, Mildew, Red blotch, Ring Rot, White spots
Aphids, Powdery mildew, Red blotch, Soft scales
Plant Tolerance
Shade areas, Shallow soil, Soil Compaction
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
Medium
Coarse
Foliage Sheen
Matte
Matte
Evergreen
✔
✘
✔
✘
Invasive
✔
✘
✔
✘
Self-Sowing
✔
✘
✔
✘
Attracts
Leafminer, Mice, Rodents
Bees, Flying insects
Allergy
Sore Throat, Stomach pain
-
Uses
Aesthetic Uses
Ornamental use
Farmland
Beauty Benefits
Anti-ageing, Remove blemishes
Good for skin
Edible Uses
✔
✘
✔
✘
Environmental Uses
Fixes Nitrogen, Food for animals
Air purification
Plant Benefits
Medicinal Uses
Antibacterial, Antioxidants, Detoxification, Rich in Potassium, Weight loss
Acne, Anti-oxidant, constipation, Thyroid problems
Part of Plant Used
Flowers, Fruits
Fruits, Leaves, Root, Stem
Other Uses
Cattle Fodder, Culinary use, Used as a laxative
Culinary use, Used for its medicinal properties
Used As Indoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Used As Outdoor Plant
✔
✘
✔
✘
Garden Design
Container, Edible, Herb, Vegetable
Edible, Herb, Vegetable, Tropical, Vine
Botanical Name
Cucurbita pepo
SECHIUM edule
Common Name
Zucchini, courgette
Chayote, Choko, christophene, christophine, cho-cho, pipinola
In Hindi
तोरी
Chayote
In German
Zucchini
Chayote
In French
Courgette
Chayote
In Spanish
calabacín
Chayote
In Greek
κολοκύθι
Chayote
In Portuguese
abobrinha
chuchu
In Polish
Kabaczek
Chayote
In Latin
zucchini
chayote
Kingdom
Plantae
Plantae
Phylum
Magnoliophyta
Magnoliophyta
Class
Magnoliopsida
Magnoliopsida
Order
Violales
Violales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Cucurbita
Sechium
Clade
-
Angiosperms, Eudicots, Rosids
Tribe
-
Sicyeae
Subfamily
Solanoideae
Cucurbitoideae
Number of Species
-5
1
27800
👆🏻