Sechium edule

Botanical Description

Chayote is a vigorous, perennial, climbing plant producing annual stems that can be 9 - 30 metres long from a large, perennial tuberous rootstock. The stems scramble over the ground or grow into other plants, supporting themselves by means of tendrils. In areas where it is well-suited, it grows well as a perennial, though it is best grown as an annual in wetter areas[ 296 Title Tropical Food Gardens Publication Author Norrington. L. Publisher Bloomings Books (Melbourne) Year 2001 ISBN 1-876473-41-x Description Excellent little book giving some basic information on a range of plants. ]. Chayote has been cultivated as a food crop for several hundred years, probably since before the Europeans went to S. America. It has become a very popular food in many parts of the tropics and subtropics, where it is widely cultivated, and also supplies medicines and is a source of fibre[ 300 Title Vegetables in the Tropics Publication Author Tindall. H. D. Publisher MacMillan, Oxford. Year 1983 ISBN 0-333-24268-8 Description An excellent, in-depth look at the main vegetable crops that can be grown in the Tropics, plus many less well-known plants. , 301 Title Cornucopia II Publication Author Facciola. S. Publisher Kampong Publications, California. Year 1998 ISBN 0-9628087-2-5 Description The second edition of an excellent guide to the edible uses of plants, though it does not give any details of cultivation etc. ]. Hats made from the fibres used to be traded internationally from Réunion[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].