The pineapple plant has long been valued for its sweet and juicy fruit. It belongs to the bromeliad family, which also includes Spanish moss and many popular flowering houseplants. The scientific name of pineapple is Ananas comosus. Ananas means “excellent fruit” in a South American Indian language. The pineapple may have originated in Brazil. However, no wild populations are now known. Christopher Columbus and other early explorers found the pineapple growing in the West Indies. The people there had been eating the fruit and making it into wine. By the end of the 16th century, people were growing the plant in most of the tropical areas of the world. The pineapple cannot tolerate frost, so it thrives in the warm climate of the tropics. It can also be grown indoors as a houseplant. Physical featuresThe pineapple fruit is actually a cluster of many small fruits. The fruit forms from separate purple flowers and the leaves that cup the flowers. As they grow, these flowers and leaves become fleshy. Eventually they fuse together to form the pineapple fruit. The tough, outer peel has many sections that look like eyes. Each “eye” was formed from one flower. The ripe fruit looks a bit like a cactus. The fruit grows on a thick, fleshy stem that rises from a group of long, sword-shaped leaves. A tuft of leaves called the crown sprouts on the top of the fruit. Growing pineapplesThe type of pineapples grown on plantations usually do not produce seeds. New plants are grown from cuttings, or pieces of pineapple plants that have already matured. The cuttings may be taken from shoots off the base of the stem or just below the fruit. Occasionally, the crowns are used. Pineapples grow best in well-drained soil. Planters lay strips of heavy paper or plastic film over the soil. The paper or plastic acts as a mulch, or protective covering. The cuttings are planted through holes made in the paper or plastic. This method of planting discourages weeds and retains moisture and heat. The flowers begin to form in about 15 to 20 months. The fruit ripens five to six months after the plant begins to flower. Pineapples for shipment are commonly picked about a week before they have fully ripened. However, those intended for nearby markets or for canning are allowed to ripen completely before they are picked. Fruits grown on plantations typically weigh about 2 to 4 pounds (1 to 2 kilograms). UsesThe pineapple fruit is eaten fresh where available. It is sold in canned form worldwide. Pineapple is an important ingredient in Polynesian cooking. In the United States and Europe it is sometimes used as a pastry filling or in baked desserts. Pineapple leaves yield a silky fiber. In the Philippines the fiber is woven into a delicate, transparent fabric known as piña cloth. The world's leading producer of pineapples is Thailand. Hawaii was the largest producer of fresh pineapple until the 1970s. However, the state still produces a good portion of the world's supply of canned pineapple products. Other leading producers include the Philippines, India, China, and Brazil. |