Chayote
Sechium edule
Sechium edule, widely known as Chayote, Mirliton, or Vegetable Pear, is a remarkably productive perennial tropical vine in the Cucurbitaceae family that yields an abundance of pale green, pear-shaped fruits eaten as a vegetable across the tropics. Virtually every part of the plant finds culinary use, from the tender young shoots and leaves to the starchy tuberous roots. Domesticated by Mesoamerican civilizations over two millennia ago, it remains a dietary staple from Mexico to Southeast Asia.
• The genus name Sechium derives from the Greek "sechos" meaning "cucumber-like," reflecting its relationship to other cucurbits
• Chayote is the only commercially cultivated cucurbit whose fruit contains a single soft seed that cannot be dried or stored
• The species exhibits remarkable phenotypic diversity, with cultivated forms ranging from smooth pale green to spiny dark green, and fruit weights from 100 g to over 1 kg
• It has naturalized in tropical regions worldwide, from the Caribbean to Reunion Island ("chouchou") to Australia ("choko")
• The tuberous roots can reach 10-15 kg on mature plants and are eaten like potatoes in many Central American cuisines
\u2022 A single chayote vine can produce 50-100 fruits in one growing season, making it one of the most productive vegetables per square meter of garden space
\u2022 The entire plant is edible: tender shoots and leaves are used as greens, the tuberous roots are dug and eaten like yams, and even the stems can be peeled and cooked
\u2022 The fruit has a unique texture that remains crisp even after cooking, due to its high water content and cellular structure\u2014it absorbs flavors readily while maintaining a pleasant crunch
\u2022 In Mexico and Central America, chayote has been cultivated since pre-Columbian times and was a staple food of the Aztec and Maya civilizations
\u2022 The genus Sechium was formerly classified in the family Cucurbitaceae along with cucumbers and melons, and the plant shares many characteristics with its squash cousins, including vigorous climbing habit and large lobed leaves
\u2022 Botanically, each chayote fruit is a pepo\u2014a specialized berry with a hard outer rind\u2014containing a single large flattened seed that begins germinating while still inside the fruit on the vine
Taxonomy
• Archaeological evidence suggests domestication by the Aztecs and Maya over 2,000 years ago, making chayote one of the oldest cultivated New World crops
• Wild progenitors still exist in the cloud forests of southern Mexico and Guatemala, growing at 800-2,000 m elevation
• After the Spanish conquest, chayote was spread to the Caribbean, the Philippines, and eventually to Africa, Asia, and the Indian Ocean islands
• Today it is cultivated commercially in Mexico, Costa Rica, Brazil, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, and Australia
• The species has become naturalized in many tropical and subtropical regions along forest margins and stream banks
Stems:
• Climbing by branched tendrils, reaching 10-15 m in a single season
• Angular, deeply grooved, covered with stiff irritating hairs
• Herbaceous when young, becoming semi-woody at the base
Leaves:
• Large, broadly ovate to triangular-ovate, 10-25 cm long and 8-20 cm wide
• 3-5 lobed with cordate base, rough-textured above, dark green
Flowers:
• Monoecious (male and female flowers on the same plant)
• Male flowers creamy white to pale green, 1-2 cm, in panicles of 10-30
• Female flowers solitary; blooming triggered by short day length
Fruit:
• Pear-shaped, 10-20 cm long, 200-500 g
• Pale green to whitish-green skin, smooth or spiny
• Contains a single large, flat, soft seed 3-5 cm long that cannot be dried
Tubers:
• Large, starchy roots on plants 2-3 years old, reaching 10-15 kg
Habitat:
• Thrives in tropical highlands at 100-2,000 m elevation, optimal at 800-1,500 m
• Requires 120-150 frost-free days with temperatures 20-30°C; killed by frost
• Grows best with 1,500-2,500 mm annual rainfall
Pollination:
• Bee-pollinated, with honeybees and native stingless bees as primary pollinators
• Flowers open in the early morning and close by afternoon
Reproductive Strategy:
• The single seed is viviparous, germinating inside the fruit if left on the vine
• Seeds cannot be dried or stored; propagation requires planting the entire fruit
• Fruits that fall naturally will sprout where they land
Light:
• Full sun essential for maximum fruit production; at least 6-8 hours direct sunlight
• Insufficient light results in excessive vine growth with few fruits
Soil:
• Prefers rich, well-drained loam with pH 6.0-6.8
• Incorporate well-rotted manure or compost before planting; chayote is a heavy feeder
Planting:
• Plant the entire fruit on its side, 10-15 cm deep, after frost danger when soil is at least 18°C
• Space plants 2-3 m apart along a sturdy support structure
Support:
• Provide an extremely sturdy trellis, arbor, or pergola capable of supporting 20-50 kg
• Commercial growers use overhead trellis systems at 2 m height
Watering & Fertilizing:
• Keep soil consistently moist; water deeply 2-3 times per week
• Fertilize monthly during the growing season
Harvest:
• Harvest fruits when 10-15 cm long for best flavor
• Tubers can be harvested from 2-3 year old plants
• Young shoots and leaves can be harvested as cooked greens
Fun Fact
Chayote possesses one of the most unusual seed biologies of any cultivated plant on Earth. • Chayote is the only commercially cultivated fruit whose single soft seed cannot be dried, stored, or separated from the fruit for planting, the seed begins to die within days of removal • For over 2,000 years, chayote has been propagated by burying the entire fruit in the ground, making it one of the few crops where the seed is never separated from its fruit • The fruit exhibits vivipary: if left on the vine past maturity, the seed will germinate inside the fruit while still attached to the plant • On Reunion Island, chayote (called "chouchou") is such a dietary staple that the island's mountain slopes are covered with elaborate trellis systems supporting millions of vines • The tuberous roots of mature plants can reach 10-15 kg and are prized as a potato substitute, but must be cooked before eating as they contain mild toxins neutralized by heat \u2022 The fruit is unique among cultivated vegetables because it contains a single large seed that begins germinating while still attached to the parent vine\u2014if planted immediately upon harvest, the seed will sprout within days, making chayote one of the easiest vegetables to propagate \u2022 In Brazil, the fruit is known as "chuchu" and is a staple ingredient in the traditional dish "chuchu refogado" (saut\u00e9ed chayote with garlic and butter), considered comfort food across the country \u2022 The tuberous roots can weigh up to 4 kg and were an important carbohydrate source for pre-Columbian peoples in Central America, though they are rarely eaten in modern times \u2022 Chayote vines are exceptionally productive: a single plant can cover 10-15 square meters of trellis space and produce 50-100 fruits over a 5-month harvest season \u2022 The fruit\u2019s ability to sprout while still attached to the vine makes chayote unique among commercially grown vegetables
Learn more
