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 USA - Zone 5a 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

29 Mar 12, Catherine (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Trudy, Yes the much maligned Choko. I love the look of the plant, it's lush, no effort gardening AND you get fruit. I have it growing over up to the top storey of a inner city terrace. It screens the street off and makes for a very Mediterranean like view from my window. The only maintenance is the occasional clip to stop it 'decorating' the neighbours terrace as well. I have the same abundance of crop - try this one: Choko Chocolate Cake. Doesn't use many chokos but you can shock your guests after all the ohh and ahhing but revealing what the secret ingredient is. The choko gives it a fibre texture a bit like banana bread it makes for a very yummy cake. I can't post the website here but in the recipes section of the website 'Successful Gardening with Annette McFarlane', is the Chocolate Cake recipe along with others for Chokos. They also have other unusual fruit too - I can also recommend the LillyPilly Jam! Have fun. :) Cat
21 Apr 12, Sandra (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Catherine, thanks for the tip re the choko chocolate cake. I have had a look at it and noticed sugar is mentioned twice ie 1 1/2 cups and then later 1 cup. Is this a miss print? it just seems like a lot of sugar for 125g of butter. cheers, Sandra
27 Dec 11, Dr Caroline Wright (Australia - temperate climate)
I bought a choko in Launceston in September and it was beginning to shoot. I kept it on the kitchen window sill and when the shoot was a foot long I transplanted it into a pot on the back veranda with a lattice construction to support it. It is in full sun and now has six growing shoots one of which is over two metres high. I live at St Helens on the east coast of Tasmania and this is my first attempt but am happy with results so far. It is the first time I have found chokos in Tasmania and am looking forwards to see how successful my new venture is.
23 May 12, anne faulkner (Australia - temperate climate)
I am ex Qlder now living in Hobart area (near beach). I just so miss being able to grow or buy Chokos. Where can I find some to shoot in this area?
12 Aug 19, Pat Benger (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi Caroline: I live in Bicheno and would love to get a choko started in my garden. I come to St. Helens regularly for shopping etc. Any chance I could purchase a shoot from you? If not, could you tell me where in Launceston you managed to buy one?
31 Dec 11, NAFISA (Australia - temperate climate)
DOES ANYONE OUT THERE PLEASE HAVE A WHITE CHOKO FRUIT I CAN PURCHASE FROM YOU? I HAVE EA FEW GREEN ONES GROWING, BUT WOULD LOVE A WHITE ONE. I AM SURE IT WILL BE HAPPY IN AN OVERNIGHT MAILBAG I CAN SEND TO YOU TO RETURN TO ME IN BROKEN HILL. THANKS!! NAFISA
07 Jan 12, Keith (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
I have'nt grown choko's since childhood. However my dad kept the choko's in a cool dark place untill the shoot was about 300ml in length then he would plant them with the tip of the shoot just out of the ground. He would cover the shoot with a hessian bag untill the plant was strong enough to stand on it's against the weather. In addition he would plant two choko's about 200 to 300 ml apart. He would never water the root system when the plant was in leaf and he would never let the plant grow to the extent that it took over the whole side fence. He said that if the vine became massive, the size of the fruit would be reduced . happy gardening. ps: due to economic reasons I will be growing again for personal use.
20 Jan 12, Heather (Australia - sub-tropical climate)
Just picked the first chokos from my vine and they are white! Is it a different variety? Isn't it supposed to be green? I bought the plant from local farmers markets.
03 Feb 12, (Australia - temperate climate)
I just read that there is a white variety.
10 Apr 12, Chris Lopez (Australia - temperate climate)
Hi I would be interested in growing a white choko, been looking for them for ages, you wouldn't be able to send one through the mail, I will pay for freight, just email me if you can. Thanks
Showing 21 - 30 of 263 comments

DOES ANYONE OUT THERE PLEASE HAVE A WHITE CHOKO FRUIT I CAN PURCHASE FROM YOU? I HAVE EA FEW GREEN ONES GROWING, BUT WOULD LOVE A WHITE ONE. I AM SURE IT WILL BE HAPPY IN AN OVERNIGHT MAILBAG I CAN SEND TO YOU TO RETURN TO ME IN BROKEN HILL. THANKS!! NAFISA

- NAFISA

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