Ananas comosus

pineapple

Yes! Pineapples grow on the upright stalks of plants from the ground, not hanging from trees! Our guests are constantly surprised at this when they witness a field-grown pineapple in person at The Botanic Gardens. It may also be surprising to learn that pineapples are related to Spanish moss - what?! Pineapples are terrestrial members of the bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae) which also has epiphytic species, such as Tillandsia usneoides or Spanish moss. They are also the only bromeliad that produces edible fruit.

The pineapple is one of the most familiar tropical fruits and is enjoyed and beloved by people all over the world. Originally native to southern Brazil and Paraguay, they have been cultivated and traded by Amerindians for centuries, which in turn expanded their range throughout South & Central America and the Caribbean. They made their debut to Europeans when Columbus arrived in the Caribbean and found them growing on the island of Guadaloupe in 1493. Due to their resemblance to pine cones, Columbus called them piñas which led the English to adopt the name pineapples. Since then, their symbolism of friendship and hospitality has been carried around the world as a motif in wood carvings and artwork and their delicious fruit is grown in many tropical countries for export. Indeed, pineapples are one of the leading commercial fruit crops of the tropics.

Pineapples were a staple crop for local consumption and sale for the early settlers of the Florida Keys. Plantation Key was named for its pineapple plantations, among other crops such as key limes and coconuts. Historic records indicate annual harvests of nearly 100,000 pineapples in 1880 from Plantation Key alone. Around this time, about 85% of American pineapples were being shipped around the country from the upper Florida Keys! Around the same time, James Dole set up his first pineapple plantation in Hawaii in 1900 beginning Dole's reign as the largest producer, distributor and marketer of fresh fruit and vegetables in the world; and to think it all started with a pineapple.

If you have ever wondered how a pineapple grows into such a juicy, sweet, cone-like fruit (assuming you agree they are delicious!), you'll need to take a closer look the next time you cut one open. Pineapples are considered 'multiple fruits' - one large fruiting structure comprised of smaller fruits embedded into a fleshy edible stem. They are technically a multiple of berries as each individual segment is a berry. Each segment of the pineapple was once an individual flower with its ovary embedded in the stem. After the flower fades and the ovary begins to ripen into fruit, the tissue of all the individual ovaries fuse together within the fleshy stem. If you look closely, you may notice small oblong brown seeds inside the segments of your pineapple, but these are uncommon as most varieties are seedless. Pineapples may be grown from seed or by the more popular method of planting the top cluster of leaves.

Pineapples thrive in hot, sunny climates and will produce fruit in about 1.5 - 2 years. Once they fruit, the mother plant dies back and may be composted. In order to continue producing more pineapples, you must plant the tops of the fruit or the pups, also called slips, that the mother plant sends out from either the base of the plant or along the stem in the axil of one of the leaves. In more northerly climates, the tops may be tried indoors for fun, but growing them for fruit will likely be in vain without warm, sunny weather.

Fresh pineapple is the only known source of the protein-digesting enzyme bromelain. Due to its nature, it is used as a meat tenderizer. Bromelain has also been studied for its efficacy in alleviating joint pain, arthritis, reducing inflammation, inhibiting tumor growth and shortening recovery time following certain surgeries. One cup of pineapple provides over 130% of your daily vitamin C along with important minerals such as manganese (with 75% RDA) and potassium. Its preparation as a piña colada must surely provide the same health benefits!