Chayote
Sechium edule
Plant the whole fruit; one vine feeds a family.
Hardiness: zones 8 to 11
Light: full sun
Size: about 20 ft tall, 10 ft wide
Harvest: October to December
From: Mexico
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.
Good for: food.
Native to: Mexico, Central America & the Caribbean. Hardy in zones 8 to 11.
The story
Chayote was grown by the Aztec, who called it chayohtli, and is still the everyday squash of Mexico and Central America, eaten in soups and stews with the shoots and the single big seed. It travelled with the Spanish to the Philippines, and Louisiana calls it mirliton.
Planting
Full sun, rich drained soil, and a strong trellis or fence; it climbs 30 feet. Plant the whole fruit, sprouted, on its side with the top just showing, after frost.
Growing
Water and feed generously; it is a vigorous vine. Where winters are mild it comes back from the root for years; mulch the crown.
Harvest and use
Fruit comes in autumn as days shorten; pick at tennis-ball size, 100 days or so from planting. The young shoots and the tuberous root are edible too.
What to watch for
Frost, and slugs on young vines; otherwise easy.
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More perennial vegetables, greens and herbs
General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home