Pineapple: Everything about cultivation, care & harvest

The healthy pineapple is very popular as a tropical vitamin bomb. Instead of flying them in, you can also grow pineapples yourself. We'll show you how.

The juicy, sweet aroma of a ripe pineapple (Pineapple comosus or Pineapple sativus) certainly knows everyone. But most people only know the tropical fruit when they bought it from the supermarket. But if you want to face the challenge of being able to harvest your own pineapples, you should be prepared for a lot. Pineapples are not easy to grow in our latitudes. You can find out how to do this in our article. Here we tell you everything about the origin, different varieties, cultivation, care and propagation of pineapples.

From the plant genus pineapple (pineapple) and the family of bromeliads (Bromeliaceae) comes from the tropical pineapple. The name probably comes from the Guaraní language, which is spoken in South America in the countries of Paraguay, Argentina and Bolivia. There the word "naná" means something like fruit. It owes its English name "Pineapple" to its appearance. "Pine Cones" is the English term for pine cones and when the tropical fruit was first discovered in America, its shape immediately reminded Europeans of a pine cone. Pineapple plants are very sensitive to frost and can therefore not be grown outdoors in our country. However, they don't really do well in dry living room air, because they only thrive at a humidity of 60 percent. Cultivation with us is not exactly easy, but not impossible either.

Origin and properties of pineapple

As you might quickly guess, the pineapple comes from the tropical regions of Latin America. Some estimates assume that it has been cultivated by humans for 4000 years. Not only the fruit of the pineapple plant was used, but also the leaves were used by indigenous peoples to make clothes and even for the strings of their bows due to their strong fibers. The Spanish conquerors quickly brought the pineapple to Europe, where it enchanted the royal houses in particular with its exotic, sweet taste. Thus, at that time, she became a symbol of power and high status. Due to the colonialists, the fruit also quickly spread to other tropical regions of the world, where it is still cultivated today.

The largest pineapple producers today are Costa Rica, Brazil, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia and India. For a long time, cultivation in Europe was only possible in extremely costly and time-consuming cultivation projects by the nobility. Since even in southern Europe the weather conditions in winter are too cold for pineapples, commercial cultivation outside of tropical areas has not caught on.

The pineapple is a perennial herbaceous plant. In contrast to many other bromeliad species, it grows terrestrially, i.e. tied to the ground, and not epiphytically, i.e. on another plant. The small, club-shaped trunk of the pineapple is up to 35 centimeters long and is partly underground. The leaves are in a rosette shape all over the trunk, up to 80 per plant. At the top are leaf-like bracts. These form the tuft of the pineapple plant. An inflorescence up to 30 centimeters long develops from the vegetation cone, on which up to 100 individual flowers can be found. The flowers are arranged in a spiral.

Each flower then develops its individual fruit, which looks like scales. These individual fruits then combine to form the pineapple fruit. Within the pineapple fruit is a fleshy, fibrous inflorescence axis. Around it you will find the pulp, which consists of the individual berries that have all grown together. The "bark" of the pineapple fruit is actually made up of the sepals and petals of the pineapple flowers. In their natural environment, pineapple plants can bear fruit for up to 50 years.

Pineapple Varieties

The world of pineapples is very diverse and there are numerous different varieties worldwide. These are divided into five large groups of varieties.

Cayenne pineapple

For commercial cultivation, this group of varieties is the most important. The pineapple fruits of this group can weigh up to four kilograms and are very large. The taste is aromatic, the flesh is usually light yellow and low in fibers. Known varieties of this group are ˈBaron Rothschildˈ, ˈHiloˈ, ˈKewˈ and ˈSmooth Cayenneˈ.

Queens pineapple

The fruits of this group of varieties are significantly smaller, they only weigh up to a kilogram. The flesh of the pineapple in this group is intensely yellow, low in fibers and very aromatic. It tastes very sweet. Important varieties of Queens pineapples are ˈAlexandraˈ, ˈFairy Queenˈ, ˈNatal Queenˈ, ˈRipley Queenˈ and ˈVictoria, MacGregorˈ.

Spanish pineapple

The pineapple fruits of this group of varieties are characterized above all by their highly fibrous flesh. The fruits also weigh up to two kilograms and have a very light-colored flesh. Known varieties of Spanish pineapple are ˈRed Spanishˈ and ˈSingapore Spanishˈ.

Perolera pineapple

The fruits of this group stand out due to their reddish colour. However, the pulp is bright yellow, but also very rich in fibers. Varieties of the Perolera pineapple are ˈMaipureˈ, ˈMilagreñaˈ, ˈPeroleraˈ and ˈTachirenseˈ.

Pernambuco pineapple

This group of cultivars is not grown commercially but is used locally in home gardens and for self-sufficiency in Venezuela and Brazil. The fruits shimmer reddish, the flesh is aromatic, low-fiber and green-yellow to white. Some varieties of the Pernambuco pineapple are ˈAbacaxiˈ, ˈPaulistaˈ and ˈSugar Loafˈ.

Buying a pineapple plant: You should pay attention to this

If you have decided to venture into growing your own pineapple, you have the choice between growing your own or buying a plant. If you reach for a large plant, you take less risk and have less work to grow, but you also have to dig deeper into your pocket. You can find pineapple plants in hardware stores, garden centers or on the Internet.

When buying your pineapple plant, make sure you choose the right variety. In addition, the plant should make a vital and healthy impression. It is best to stay away from plants with damaged leaves or those showing signs of pests or diseases. For the sake of the environment, a biological origin of the plant is advisable. Plants from organic farms are also often more resilient.

What should you look out for when buying a pineapple plant?

• strain choice
• Vital
• Healthy and undamaged
• Preferably organic

Plant (a) pineapple

When planting your pineapple, you should first choose a suitable location. The pineapple loves it sunny and warm; the temperature should never fall below 16 degrees. And the humidity also plays an important role in cultivation, because it should always be above 60 percent. The pineapple feels particularly at home in a loose, well-drained substrate with a pH value of 5.

How should one plant the pineapple (a)?

• Choose the right planter
• Mix the substrate and with one Fertilizer with organic long-term effect enrich
• create a drainage layer
• Fill the pot one third full with substrate
• Plant in the middle
• Fill the pot with substrate
• casting

A detailed guide to (One) plants of pineapple you can read here.

maintain pineapple

The pineapple is not only demanding in terms of its location, but also in terms of care. After all, they don't want to starve or die of thirst and therefore need regular water and fertilizer.

How is the pineapple cared for?

• Water regularly
• Spray additionally
• Cutting is not necessary
• Repot in time
• Every 3 months with one Fertilizer with organic long-term effect fertilize
• Alternatively, fertilize with liquid fertilizer every 2 weeks

Pour pineapple

Water your pineapple regularly, but don't overdo it. The plant will not forgive you waterlogging, but rather dry substrate. The top layer of substrate is allowed to dry out before the next watering. However, you should not pour the substrate on the leaves of the plant. If the leaf tips of the plant turn brown, this can be a sign of excessive drought. If you also want to do something good for your pineapple, spray it regularly with lukewarm water.

cutting pineapple

The pineapple does not need to be pruned. However, if over time it takes on too much shape, you should repot it and not cut it. At the latest when the pineapple plant grows over the edge of its planter, it is time for repotting. The best time to do this is in the spring. The new planter should then only be a few centimeters larger than the old one.

Fertilize pineapple

In order to be able to grow well, the pineapple needs sufficient and regular nutrients. The first fertilization should take place no earlier than a few weeks after the formation of new leaves. The period in which you have to repeat the fertilizer application depends on the type of fertilizer. If you use an environmentally friendly and resource-saving fertilizer with an organic long-term effect, then fertilizing every three months is completely sufficient for the pineapple. Ours is best suited Plantura organic universal fertilizer, which gently releases all the important nutrients for the pineapple. The high phosphorus content also supports fruit formation.

multiply pineapple

The pineapple is very easy to multiply yourself and grow on the windowsill. All you need is the tuft of leaves, which you usually throw away when preparing the pineapple anyway. We will show you how to grow a new plant from the bunch of leaves that sits on the fruit.

Regrow pineapple:

• Cut or twist out the stalk with a sharp knife
• remove pulp
• All superfluous sheets except for approx. remove 10
• Put the stalk in the water
• Place in a bright and warm location
• Change the water regularly
• Plant in substrate as soon as roots have formed

tip: Pineapples are not the only thing that can be propagated using regrowing, i.e. allowing the stalk to grow back. In the book "Regrow your veggies” from our Plantura co-founders Melissa Raupach and Felix Lill you will find detailed instructions on regrowing over 20 types of fruit and vegetables.

Another way to propagate pineapples yourself is through so-called kindling. These are small shoots that form at the base of a pineapple plant. As soon as these are about half the size of the mother plant, you can cut them off and plant them. To do this, proceed as follows.

Propagating pineapples by childling:

• Take the whole plant out of the pot
• Shake off soil and expose Kindel
• Kindel should be 20-30 cm tall for cutting
• Cut off the pieces with a sharp knife
• Treat interfaces with charcoal powder
• Plant in substrate
• Cover with foil or place in a mini greenhouse
• An independent pineapple plant soon develops

Harvesting and storing pineapples

If you want to harvest your own pineapple, you have to be patient: it can take up to two years for the first fruit to ripen after planting. Trust your nose to find the right time to harvest your pineapple. Once the fruit exudes an intense scent typical of pineapple, it is ready to be harvested. Another sign is that the bark yields slightly under pressure. Don't harvest your pineapple until it's actually fully ripe, because it won't continue to ripen after it's been harvested.

Hold the fruit firmly with one hand while you use a sharp knife to cut off the fruit, including the stalk, with the other hand. The plant will slowly die off over time. However, you should not dispose of them too early, because saplings can still form for further propagation. Unfortunately, the fresh pineapple can only be kept for up to a week. But she doesn't belong in the fridge, because it's too cold for her there. It is therefore better to keep it at room temperature.

How is the pineapple harvested and stored?

• The pineapple is ripe when it smells intense and the rind gives slightly
• Cut off the pineapple with the stem using a sharp knife
• Store at room temperature
• Can be stored for up to 1 week

Ingredients and use of pineapple

The pineapple is a particularly healthy fruit that contains many important ingredients. Above all, it is rich in vitamins A and C, calcium, magnesium and iron. But other nutritional values ​​of the tropical fruit are also convincing - 100 grams of pineapple contain just around 50 kilocalories (kcal). A special active ingredient in pineapple is the enzyme bromelain, which promotes digestion. The fruit is also said to help with detoxification and drainage and is therefore often recommended for diets.

But the pineapple is not only healthy and low in calories, but also a real treat in terms of taste. It can of course simply be eaten raw, for example in a fruit salad, or drunk as a pineapple juice or smoothie. In the smoothie, the combination with other tropical fruits is particularly suitable, but also green leafy vegetables such as spinach (Spinacia oleracea) can complement the tropical fruit well.

A classic among the dishes with pineapple is of course Toast Hawaii with ham and cheese. The pineapple also cuts a fine figure on the pizza. Pineapples are also great for desserts, such as cakes, muffins or ice cream. It also tastes delicious in Asian dishes, for example in Chinese sweet and sour chicken. And of course a cocktail comes to mind when you talk about pineapple: the piña colada. Rum, coconut cream, fresh pineapple and pineapple juice are mixed in a blender with plenty of ice. If you like it even creamier, you can add more cream. Served in a hollowed-out pineapple, this cocktail is also a real eye-catcher.

If you now proceed to the Planting the pineapple If you would like to be informed, you will find all the information here.