University of Florida Plant Information Chayote—Sechium edule (Jacq.) Sw.
Chayote is a tender, perennial-rooted cucurbit, with climbing vines and leaves resembling those of the cucumber. The light green, pear-shaped fruit, which contains a single, flat edible seed, may weigh as much as 2 to 3 pounds, but most often is from 6 to 12 ounces. While fruits may be slightly grooved and prickly, those grown in Florida are usually smooth.
1. This document is HS579, one of a series of the Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension. Original publication date May 1994. Revised September 2015. Visit the EDIS website at http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu.
2. James M. Stephens, professor emeritus, Horticultural Sciences Department, UF/IFAS Extension, Gainesville, FL 32611.