Chayote (Sechium edule), also known as mirliton and choko, is an edible plant belonging to the gourd family, Cucurbitaceae. This fruit was first cultivated in Mesoamerica between southern Mexico and Honduras, with the most genetic diversity available in both Mexico and Guatemala. It is one of several foods introduced to the Old World during the Columbian Exchange. At that time, the plant spread to other parts of the Americas, ultimately causing it to be integrated into the cuisine of many Latin American nations.
The chayote fruit is mostly used cooked. When cooked, chayote is usually handled like summer squash; it is generally lightly cooked to retain the crispy consistency. Raw chayote may be added to salads or salsas, most often marinated with lemon or lime juice, but is often regarded as unpalatable and tough in texture. Whether raw or cooked, chayote is a good source of vitamin C.
Although most people are familiar only with the fruit as being edible, the root, stem, seeds and leaves are edible as well. The tubers of the plant are eaten like potatoes and other root vegetables, while the shoots and leaves are often consumed in salads and stir fries, especially in Asia.
Names and etymology
The fruit goes by many English-language names around the world. The common American English name of the fruit (outside of Louisiana) is from the Spanish word , a derivative of the Nahuatl word (). The term chayote is also used in Puerto Rico. In Louisiana and Haiti it is known as mirliton (pronounced ) also spelled mirleton or merleton in the United Kingdom (the r is often silent, e.g. Cajun me-lay-taw or urban Creole miʁl-uh-tɔ̃ns)
In Australia, New Zealand and Singapore, it is known as choko
In China, it is referred to as foshugua, meaning "Buddha's palms melon".
In the eastern Caribbean, the United Kingdom and Ireland, it is known as christophene, while it is chocho in Jamaica.
In India, the vegetable is called chow chow among other names; in the east and north east, it is simply known as squash and is a very popular vegetable used in both vegetarian and non vegetarian dishes.
In other parts of the world, the English name is often chou chou (e.g. in Mauritius), or a variant thereof (e.g. chuchu in Brazil).
In Madagascar and the western Indian Ocean, it is called "soasety."
In continental Portugal it is known as chuchu, following the Brazilian usage, but in Madeira it is called pimpinela.
Cultivation
Like other members of the gourd family, chayote has a sprawling habit, and requires sufficient room. The roots are also highly susceptible to rot, especially in containers, and the plant in general is finicky to grow. However, in Australia and New Zealand it is an easily grown yard or garden plant, set on a chicken wire support or strung against a fence. In Trinidad and Tobago, it is grown in the mountainous areas strung from wire lines. In Latin America, chayote is widely cultivated. Depending on variety and region, yield reaches from 10 to 115 t/ha.
Soil and climate requirements
Chayote requires humus-rich, well drained soils, which are slightly acid to acid (pH 4.5 to 6.5). Clay soils reduce crop productivity because they retain water and therefore promote growth of fungal pests. Chayote adapts to a wide range of climatic conditions but grows best in regions with average temperatures of 13°-21 °C with at least 1500–2000 mm of annual precipitation. The crop is not frost-tolerant, however it can be grown as an annual in temperate regions.
Taxonomy
The plant was first recorded by modern botanists in P. Browne's 1756 work, the Civil and Natural History of Jamaica. Swartz included it in 1800 in its current genus Sechium.
The genus name Sechium is probably an alteration of the Ancient Greek σίκυος : síkyos "cucumber". The species name edule means "edible".
Description
In the most common variety, the fruit is roughly pear-shaped, somewhat flattened and with coarse wrinkles, ranging from 10 to 25 cm in length, with thin green skin fused with green to white flesh, and a single, large, flattened pit. Some varieties have spiny fruits. Depending on the variety, a single fruit can weigh up to 1.2 kg. The flesh has a fairly bland taste, and the texture is described as a cross between a potato and a cucumber.
The chayote vine can be grown on the ground, but as a climbing plant, it will grow onto anything, and can easily rise as high as 12 meters when support is provided. It has heart-shaped leaves, 10–25 cm wide and tendrils on the stem. The plant bears male flowers in clusters and solitary female flowers.