Growing Choko/Chayote, also Chayote squash, christophene, chouchou, mirliton

Sechium edule : Cucurbitaceae / the gourd family

Jan F M A M J J A S O N Dec

Not recommended for growing in New Zealand - cool/mountain regions

  • Easy to grow. Plant whole mature fruit when one produces a shoot at one end.. Best planted at soil temperatures between 59°F and 86°F. (Show °C/cm)
  • Space plants: 39 inches apart
  • Harvest in 17-25 weeks. Best when fruit is light green and not more than 6 cm long.
  • Compatible with (can grow beside): Cucumbers

Your comments and tips

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29 Nov 14, Andrew (Australia - temperate climate)
Depends, if it is cool and the plant seems to be dormant, and it is going into winter, the leaves are getting old and dying, in other words, the vines are dying, yes, strip them back, the plant will go into dormancy for the winter, but only cut back carefully to the stump, or failing that about 5cm from the ground.
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19 Apr 13, LAVERNE (South Africa - Humid sub-tropical climate)
Does choko need lots of sun and does the seed go right under the soil with the sprout above the soil?
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03 May 13, Kym (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
You can plant the whole thing except for the sprout but also just leave the fruit on the surface and it will still grow. I think they do best left to their own devices as far as fertiliser etc though I do water mine if its dry
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21 Jan 13, Barb (Australia - tropical climate)
How do I get my choko vine to flower?
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17 Jan 13, wendy (Australia - temperate climate)
Greek-Australian Salad! Feta cheese, diced, lots of chopped tomatoes, olives, and (instead od cucumbers, they don't grow for me) lightly cooked cubes of choko - olive oil & lemon dressing!
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05 Jan 13, sadie (Australia - arid climate)
Each time I've grown chokos from fruit they grow well but then before flowering die off Any advice???? Mind you I did try to move them from pot to soil...is that it?
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29 Nov 14, Andrew (Australia - temperate climate)
Yes, all plants know when their environment has been changed, and they know when they've left the confines of a pot and given "free-range" in the soil, if the choko didn't flower/fruit after transplanting, that is probably because
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31 Dec 12, Maryann (Australia - temperate climate)
Dear Sir/Madam. My Choko vine has only one choko on it. there are no more flowers and it is growing at a prolific rate. Could you please help and let me know why my choko vine is not flowering? Kindest regards Maryann
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18 Aug 14, Ian McAllister (Australia - temperate climate)
Lots of leaves and few flowers is usually the symptom of being too kind to any plant. If you give them loads of Nitrogen (e.g. lovely rich compost) the leaves will grow well, but they won't flower well. Last year I had a squash vine growing out of my compost heap. The vine was massive, but I only got about two fruit from it.
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12 Dec 12, Reinout (South Africa - Summer rainfall climate)
Mountain herb estate, Hartebeespoortdam. Goes under the name chu-chu
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Showing 191 - 200 of 267 comments
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Cut back the vines to about 12 inches above ground after the last choko has been picked, closer to the end of winter. They will have very little growth for ages and then grow again when the time is right. The leaves can be dead at the beginning of vines but still keep fruit growing at the ends. They fruit for many months.

- Julie Pannell

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