Sechium Species, Chayote, Cho Ko, Cho-Cho, Mirliton, Vegetable Pear 'Pale-Green-Fruited'

I'm in coastal southern California, and we seldom get a killing frost (once every 5 years or so).

My pale-green fruited c...Read Morehayote vines are rampant growers. Last fall I had one go 50 feet before I cut it back. Once planted the vines grow every which way and will overtake anything nearby (fences, tomato plants, trees, slow moving animals...). I have a very young apple tree a few feet from where the chayote were planted, and I had to break the tendrils of new vines at least once a week - I missed a week and the poor tree was bent over at 90 degrees from the weight of the vines and developing fruit (thankfully, being young it sprung back when released). Chayote vines are the very definition of rampant growing vines.

The first time I grew them I was concerned that with all the crazy growth, there wasn't a sign of blooms or fruit for months. Chayote bloom according to day length - the fall equinox triggers bloom. After growing all summer suddenly I had jillions of little blooms mid-September (the blooms are really small, not like the cucurbit blooms you are used to on squash). The blooming continued for weeks, and I got a very large harvest in the fall - I gave them away by the bag full.

My chayote plants were quite healthy and happy heading into the winter, so I let them be except for cleaning up the vines a bit (so I could traverse the patio without stepping over several vines for the first time in months!). They are perennials in my zone, and with a few warm days in February/March they starting growing quickly again. Much to my surprise the Spring equinox triggered bloom - in all my reading I don't recall seeing that they crop twice in a year, but in mid April mine are covered in blooms and fruit, some big enough to harvest a month after the spring equinox.

Usually squash and melons are dead or dying in my yard by late summer because of powdery mildew, but the chayote seems impervious. If any bugs nibbled I didn't notice - there are far too many leaves for insects to make much of a dent. I did have some leaf die-back when the temps dropped into the low 40s one night over winter, but it was a limited number of leaves on a long vine - the main section was fine.

I want to change the location of the vines this year so I left the last few chayote on the vine over winter (they don't store long enough in the house to harvest in fall and plant in spring). If you leave them on the mother vine the old fruits will hold quite well (make sure they are not resting on bare soil, and it they are trellised, you may want to sling them so they don't fall). Once things start to warm in the spring the old fruit will start sprouting a new vine while still attached to the mother vine. When you are ready to plant a new one you can cut the old fruit off the mother vine and it's ready to plant elsewhere.

The taste and cooked texture is similar to zucchini, but better. I peeled them, cubed them (seed and all), sauteed with onions until crunchy-tender, added olive oil and salt and pepper - sometimes I added a sprinkle of parmesean cheese and pine nuts - oh so yummy!. Some people have a dermal reaction to the goo that chayote ooze when peeled, so if you have sensitive skin wear gloves while peeling.

I just ate my first chayote! I fried it just like a large sliced French fry and it was delicious! If you like yellow squash and kiwis y...Read Moreou should love this! It had an indescribable nectar sweetness and was almost juicy! I either had one with two seeds or I split the one. I planted it any way. I will be buying many more. I hope to grow my own here in north Florida. I can't say enough about this fun 'new to me' vegetable! My dad loved it, too! I'm now interested in finding the spiny variety. I joined for two months, but I have enjoyed this site so much, I plan on renewing definitely. As soon as I made it home I looked it up on here and had all the information I needed!

I bought one at the grocery store, intending to eat it. It had other plans, sending up a shoot very quickly. I now have it suspended ov...Read Moreer water in a glass - and the shoot is several feet tall complete w/ tendrils. Obviously, there is no hope for growing success in my zone (7-8), but I enjoy watching the effort it is making.

I think there are more than 6 kinds. I've seen only two kinds here in Austin, Texas, both rather large. One with spines, one without. The...Read More one with spines is dark. The one without is light.

In Guatemala they are called guisquil. In addition to these two varieties, we also had a dark skinned spineless variety, a white, spineless variety, and my favorite -- one with very small, spineless fruit.

Inside the fruit is a single seed, encapsulated by a textured sack. In the dark skinned varieties, this sack can be very tough and is not eaten. In the light skinned and small varieties, it is tender and can be eaten. The skin also varies from tough in the case of dark skinned ones to thin and tender in the lighter ones.

In addition to the fruit, all other parts of the plant may be eaten. Shoots and leaves can be eaten like spinach. Tubers are eaten light potatoes.

To propagate, simply place a fruit on the ground. Roots will grow not just from the seed but also from the part of the fruit touching the ground.