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Photo Credit: Lynn Means

As a symbol of welcome in the South, the pineapple is often incorporated into entryways.

I found this out when we moved down South from the North. Hanging by the front door of our first Southern home was a hand-painted plaque of a pineapple with the word “Welcome” below it. Being Northern transplants, we thought it was a souvenir from Hawaii. But when a neighbor revealed its real significance, we were so touched – we felt like we had truly come home at last!

While I found the idea of the pineapple as a symbol of welcome to be beautifully quaint, I couldn’t help but wonder why on earth a pineapple would have that kind of meaning – and in the South of all places? But as odd as it may seem, this tropical native has surely found a home in the land of cotton, the land of discount and most definitely the land where people truly enjoy the art of gracious living.

But how did the exotic fruit find its way here? It boils down to a matter of trade. You see, when the pineapple was introduced to Europe in 1493, it was an instant success! As a food item and horticultural curiosity, the fruit’s sweet taste and unique appearance made it one of the many wonders Christopher Columbus brought back from the New World. However, bringing it back is exactly what Europeans had to do for the next 200 years.

Europeans tried diligently to grow the fruit outside its native tropical climate, but propagation could only be achieved using greenhouse methods. In the meantime, the absence of a local supply and the increasing demand made the pineapple even more popular. Only affluent hosts could afford to offer it to their guests, so the fruit became a symbol of generosity, hospitality and, of course, wealth.