Chow chow is chayote, a perennial vine from Mexico whose pale green, pear-shaped fruits are a common vegetable in South India and the eastern Himalaya. It grows especially well in the Nilgiris, Kodaikanal and Bengaluru, and in Sikkim and Darjeeling, where it is called iskus. Each fruit has one large seed that often sprouts inside the fruit. Older books call it Sechium edule.
- Botanical name
- Sicyos edulis Jacq.
- Family
- Cucurbitaceae
- Tamil
- Chow chow
- Hindi
- Chow chow
- Parts used
- Fruit, Young shoots, Tuber in some kitchens
- Habit
- Chayote, a perennial vine with single-seeded fruit
- Last updated
- 2026-10-27
How to recognise Chow chow
It is a vigorous perennial climber with branched tendrils and a thick, tuberous root.
The leaves are broad, heart-shaped and shallowly three- to five-lobed.
Small, cream-green flowers grow in the leaf axils.
The fruit is pear-shaped, pale green, with a wrinkled, sometimes slightly prickly surface.
Inside is crisp, pale flesh around a single flat seed.
Traditional use of Chow chow
Kitchen
Chow chow is cooked in kootu, sambar and poriyal in Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
South Indian food practice
Kitchen
In Sikkim and the north-east, young shoots and leaves are cooked as greens, and the tuber is also eaten.
North-east Indian food practice
Farming
Whole fruits are planted, and the sprouting seed grows into a new vine on a pandal.
Indian hill farm practice
Modern notes on Chow chow
The fruit is low in calories and supplies fibre, folate and vitamin C.
Its seed germinating inside the fruit is a form of vivipary.
One vine can produce dozens of fruits a season for several years.
Chow chow safety
Chayote is a safe vegetable. Its sap can make hands dry and sticky when peeling raw fruit, so peel under running water or wear gloves.
Ecology and sourcing
It is native to Mexico and Central America.
Bees visit its flowers in large numbers.
It grows best in mild, humid hill climates.
Related plants
Also in Cucurbitaceae
Questions about Chow chow
What is chow chow?
The South Indian name for chayote.
Can I plant the whole fruit?
Yes. The seed sprouts inside it.
Are the shoots edible?
Yes, cooked as greens.
Why do my hands get sticky?
The sap dries on skin when peeling.
What is iskus?
The Nepali and Sikkimese name for chayote.
Sources
- Sicyos edulis Jacq. — Plants of the World Online, Kew (search) (accessed 2026)
- Wikidata item Q38646266 (Sicyos edulis)
Educational page about a plant. It is not medical advice, not a diagnosis, and not an offer to sell. Traditional use is historical. If you need care, ask a licensed clinician. Questions: hello@meevamed.com.