Chayote stir fried in Thailand
Chayote is a climbing plant which originates from Mexico.
The fruit can be cooked or can be eaten raw in salads. Young shoots are often eaten stir-fried in Thailand.
Names
Scientific
Sechium edule
Synonym
Chayota edulis
Sicyos edulis
English
Chayote
Christophene
Christophine
Pear squash
Vegetable pear
Dutch
Chayote
Spanish
Chayota
Chayotera
Papa del aire
Tayota
French
Chayote
Chayotte
German
Chayote
Italian
Chayote
Taxonomy
Order
Cucurbitales
Family
Cucurbitaceae
Genus
Sechium
Species
Sechium edule (Chayote)
Basic information and facts
Origin:
Chayote originates from Mexico or Central America.
Distribution:
Growing worldwide, with highest production in Brazil, Costa Rica and Mexico.
Annual, biennial, or perennial:
Perennial.
Leaves:
Leaves and stenms are edible and can be used in stir fried dishes.
Fruits:
The pear-shaped fruits are edible and are usually cooked. Fruits have a light green surface with coarse wrinkles and are about 10 to 20 cm long.
Climate and weather:
Grows in most tropical countries often at higher altitudes.
Pollination:
Pollinated by insects, e.g. bees.
Height:
It’s a climbing plant with slender, branching stems up to 10 m long.
Propagation:
Chayote is usually grown from seed, sometimes from rooted cuttings.
Insect pests:
?
Diseases:
?
Harvesting:
Harvested by hand. Hand picking of fruits. Hand picking of shoots and leaves.
Uses:
The chayote fruit is usually eaten cooked, but sometimes used raw in salads.
Also the roots, stems and leaves are edible. The tubers can be used like potatoes. The shoots and leaves are often used in stir fried dishes, for example in Thailand.
Crop categories
Fruit vegetables
Leaf vegetables
Minor crops
Subtropical crops
Tropical crops
Vegetables