Felder Rushing
Family
Bromeliaceae
Botanical Name
Ananas comosus
Plant Common Name
Pineapple
General Description
Who doesn’t love sweet, juicy pineapple? This popular fruit has been long cultivated in hot spots like Southeast Asia, Costa Rica and Hawaii. Believed to have originated from Brazil, pineapple had already been grown and selected by indigenous Americans before Europeans arrived in the 15th Century. Today no wild form is known, but many variable selections exist that differ in flavor quality, vigor and fruit size. Some have even been developed for their ornamental appeal.
Ananas comosus is a terrestrial bromeliad that forms a rosette of coarse, spiny, evergreen leaves with offsets produced at the base of the parent plant. When mature, the central rosette gives rise to a tall thick stem bearing a large oval cluster of spiny bright red flowers topped with a plume of coarse, dense foliage. The blooms are followed by the huge oval composite fruits that we call pineapples. The fruit's exterior resembles that of a pine cone, hence the name, and has thick leathery amber green skin which protects the sweet golden flesh within.
Some cultivars are grown for their ornamental appeal. For example, the variety variegatus has variegated pale yellow, green and pink leaves that are colorful and interesting. Spineless forms have also been selected.
Pineapple needs full to nearly full sun and well-drained, highly organic, acid soil. It is tough and will tolerate some wind, salt spray and drought. High humidity is not required for good growth. Full sun promotes faint pink blushing on the leaves. Rosettes die after flowering and fruiting, perpetuating themselves by offsets (called pups) at their base. Leave the pups when cutting back the dead mother plant.
Most pineapples are plantation grown, but they also make striking container plants for a patio or sun room and will thrive as landscape specimens in balmy tropical climates. They can overwinter outdoors in southern California and Florida, if grown in protected microclimates.
Growing Conditions
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Soil pH
Acidic, Neutral
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Soil Drainage
Well Drained
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Soil type
Loam, Sand
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Growth Rate
Medium
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Water Requirements
Drought Tolerant, Average Water
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Habit
Rosette/Stemless
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Seasonal Interest
Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Ornamental Features
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Flower Interest
Showy
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Flower Color
Red
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Fruit Color
Yellow Green, Gold
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Foliage Color (Spring)
Gray Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Summer)
Gray Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Fall)
Gray Green, Dark Green
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Foliage Color (Winter)
Gray Green, Dark Green
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Fragrant Flowers
No
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Fragrant Fruit
Yes
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Fragrant Foliage
No
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Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
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Flower Petal Number
Single
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Repeat Bloomer
No
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Showy Fruit
Yes
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Edible Fruit
Yes
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Showy Foliage
Yes
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Foliage Texture
Coarse
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Foliage Sheen
Matte
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Evergreen
Yes
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Showy Bark
No
Special Characteristics
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Usage
Container, Edible, Feature Plant, Fruit / Fruit Tree, Houseplant, Tropical
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Sharp or Has Thorns
Yes
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Invasive
No
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Attracts
Hummingbirds
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Self-Sowing
No
