Pineapples are the only representatives of the family whose fruits are eaten. However, pineapple is a common houseplant, and it looks very unusual and pretty in a pot.
The genus was first described by European botanists in 1735. The name is a slight distortion of the local South American name of the plant. The homeland of pineapples is Brazil, Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia.
Eight species have been described that grow in natural conditions, and about half of them are cultivated in greenhouses.
At home, two types are most often grown: crested pineapple (Ananas comosus) and pineapple bract (Ananas bracteatus). The height of these plants in nature can reach 1 m, and the diameter - 2 m.
At home, the size of pineapples is much more modest, but with good care, a pineapple can grow up to 70 cm in height.
Indoor pineapple, care at home.
Temperature . Since pineapple is still a heat-loving plant, it is advisable not to allow the temperature in the room with pineapple to drop below 16-17°C. Ideally, the temperature of the window sill where the pot with pineapple stands was kept in the range of 22-25°C all year round.
The lighting should be sunny and bright, since pineapple is a light-loving plant, and for this reason in autumn and winter the plant may not have enough light, so it is recommended to organize illumination with fluorescent lamps for 8-10 hours.
Watering pineapple in summer is abundant, but between waterings the earthen lump should dry out. This should be watered with warm water heated to 30-35°C, in addition, the water should sit for at least a day. From late autumn to early spring, watering is significantly reduced, since at this time the pineapple can get by with a minimum of water.
In addition, in the summer, indoor pineapple needs to be sprayed and sometimes given a warm shower.
Soil for growing pineapple should be acidic (pH 4.0-5.0) and loose. You can take a mixture of turf soil, humus, chopped peat and coarse sand in a ratio of 3:2:3:1. We remember that the soil must be loose and allow water to pass through. It is better to buy a pot for indoor pineapple that is low and wide, since pineapples have a shallow root system.
Feeding indoor pineapple carried out in the spring-summer period with nitrogen fertilizers, namely mullein infusion or ready-made organic fertilizers 2 times a month.
Pineapple transplant. Without unnecessary need, you should not disturb the plant with transplants. Already overgrown specimens, which are already clearly cramped in the pot, are replanted.
Propagation of indoor pineapple produced by basal rosettes or rooting of the apex of the fruit. The cut sultan (top) is rooted after the rest of the pulp dries a little. If you keep the plant in a warm room and constantly moisten it, roots will appear in 2-4 weeks. It is recommended to cover the rooting sultan with a glass jar or plastic cap.
Pineapple usually blooms in May-July. although the plant can also bloom in December. Usually mature plants (3-4 years old) bloom. The compact fruit resembles a cone. the fruit ripens within 4-5 months. a beautiful shortened shoot appears at the top of the fruit - a sultan. If you want your pineapple to bloom faster, you can place it in a bag of ripe apples. Apples produce a gas that stimulates the appearance of flowers - ethylene.
Problems, diseases and pests of indoor pineapple.
The tips of indoor pineapple leaves dry out if the air in the room is too dry. Pineapple is a moisture-loving indoor flower, and in this case the air humidity should be increased.
Mold on the soil or walls of the pot formed due to heavy watering in winter. It is necessary to remove the mold with a napkin from the surface of the pot and slightly reduce watering.
The appearance of small light spots on pineapple leaves may indicate that the plant is infected with false scale insects. To improve the condition of the plant, it should be sprayed with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
Pineapple roots are rotting at high humidity and low temperature. if root rot has formed. the lower part of the trunk should be cut off to living tissue and the healthy top should be rooted.
If the temperature of the soil and air in the room is too low, then indoor pineapple growth slows down. it is necessary to increase the temperature in the room and the temperature of the water for irrigation.
Indoor pineapple is rarely affected by pests.
Florists love this exotic plant for its unusual shape and bizarre hairstyle, because it pineapple-like flower. With it, bouquets look very original and interesting. And those who don’t like to pick flowers can enjoy the fluffy tufts of eucomis in a garden bed or on their windowsill.
Cute crest
Eucomis, or, as it is also called, eucomis, belongs to the Lily family (Lilaceae) and is closely related to hyacinths, lilies, scillas, poultry plants, etc. The plant came to Russia from England, where it has been successfully bred for more than 200 years. Its name comes from the Greek “eu” - good and “kome” - hair. Indeed, Eucomis has something to be proud of: its lush flower spike is decorated with a pretty tuft of leaves, thanks to which the plant was dubbed the “crested lily.”
In nature, the flower is more often found in humid areas of its homeland - the Cape Province of South Africa. There are two known types of it: dotted and bicolor eucomis. The first of them has a strong, pleasant aroma, but the second one has a flower that looks more attractive. Most of the species are greenish-white, sometimes diluted with purple hues on the crest. However, new varieties are distinguished by a variety of colors: red, white, yellow, purple, dark red, etc.
Reminds me of pineapple
Due to its external resemblance to a famous fruit, it is often Eucomis called the “imaginary pineapple.” The belt-shaped, light green leaves of the plant (up to 60 cm in length) are collected in a rosette, from which a thick peduncle with lush tufts of small leaves resembling a tuft is formed. Numerous small flowers of the plant, gathering into a cylindrical inflorescence (up to 30 cm in length), tightly cling to the peduncle. Each inflorescence has six star-shaped petals with a purple edge.
The crested lily is quite unpretentious and very decorative. It is valued for its long flowering, which attracts pollinating insects. The flower stalks of the plant are great for cutting and do not lose their charm even without flowers. The extension of the peduncle begins after the development of 5 - 6 rosette leaves. Eucomis looks nice both separately and in the vicinity of different flowers. For example, with heuchera, alyssum, lobelia, etc.
It is better to cool before planting
After purchasing the bulb Eucomisa It is best to store in a cool place at a temperature of about +10°C. The plant is planted in March or April. To do this, choose sunny, wind-protected places. The soil is preferable with good drainage and humus with the addition of coarse sand. Window eucomis are planted in pots one at a time, choosing deep containers for these purposes, otherwise the powerful root system of the flower will be crowded.
The bulbs are not deepened much, leaving their tops at the level of the substrate. This prevents them from rotting and stimulates growth. Until the bulb hatches, you need to water it carefully, avoiding excess moisture around. After the first leaves appear, eucomis need to be watered more often, and during the growing season it needs regular and abundant watering. During the season, the plant is fed three times with liquid organic fertilizers: during leaf growth, during budding and during flowering. In summer, the optimal temperature for the plant is +20...+25°C, and in winter +5°C.
Take it with you for the winter
They feed annas-like flower only in spring and summer. If Eucomis grows in pots, then in the summer it is better to move it to the balcony, because during flowering it emits a too sweet, cloying aroma. After the flowers wilt, it is recommended to limit watering, and after the leaves turn yellow, stop altogether. In autumn, a period of rest begins, favorable for transplantation and separation of children. You can simply remove the onion and, sprinkle it with peat or sand, store it in the refrigerator (+10°C).
Yet Eucomis It is thermophilic, and in winter in the open ground it can simply freeze. At the end of September, the plant is dug up and the resulting children are separated from its stem. Bulbs can comfortably survive the winter in a cool cellar or in a regular refrigerator at a temperature of +4...+6°C. To do this, they are pre-wrapped in paper or newspaper. In the south of Russia, with a little shelter, the plant overwinters well in the garden.
Eucomis propagated by children and less often by seeds. The first method is suitable for the entire growth period, but is better suited for autumn and winter, while the plant is resting. Eucomis, grown from seeds, often lose their original color, which does not happen when children are divided. After sowing, the sprouts bloom only in the third year. The plant must be protected from spider mites, mealybugs and common aphids.
- Some varieties of this plant are used in medicine.
- The plant's bulbs are toxic and can cause poisoning if eaten in large quantities.
- The not particularly pleasant aroma of bicolor eucomis attracts various insects.
Albina Alina, Krasnoyarsk
Pineapple (Ananas) is a perennial herbaceous plant of the Bromeliad family. Pineapple comes from Brazil, where it was grown in prehistoric times. Today, this large, tasty berry is cultivated in countries all over the world: in open ground - in the tropics; in insulated soil, greenhouses, rooms - in a more temperate climate. The homemade pineapple flower does not bear fruit; it is grown as an ornamental plant.
Photo of decorative flower large-tufted pineapple
In indoor culture, the most popular is the large-tufted pineapple (Ananas comosus) - a plant with a greatly shortened stem and a dense rosette of fleshy, leathery leaves narrowed towards the apex. They reach 50-80 cm in length, 2-6 cm in width, and have serrated-toothed edges. The leaves are bare, dark green, yellow-green or reddish on top; the bottom is covered with thin white scales.
The bisexual flowers of the decorative pineapple are collected in a spike-shaped multi-flowered inflorescence on a fleshy peduncle that grows from the center of the basal rosette of leaves. Pineapple flowering lasts about two weeks. The fruit (more precisely, the fruit) consists of fleshy fused ovaries with juicy, aromatic, tasty pulp inside.
Numerous indoor varieties of pineapple flowers are known; you can see their photos below.
The most common decorative form is Variegatus. This plant has striped leaves. Cream longitudinal stripes turn pink in bright sun.
Dwarf decorative pineapples are very popular, forming small rosettes of leaves with a diameter of about 20 cm, and sometimes fragrant, but inedible small fruits. In a dwarf variety "Nanus" There are no spines on the leaves.
Decorative variety "Bracteatus" distinguished by bright red tufts of bracts above the inflorescences.
How to care for a pineapple flower
Pineapple is grown in sunny, south-facing windows. The reddish tips of young leaves are an indicator of sufficient illumination. The whole plant becomes dense, strong, the leaves do not fall apart. In this case, the pineapple standing on the windowsill does not need to be turned; it develops well even with one-sided lighting.
Before caring for a pineapple flower, it is necessary to ensure the desired temperature in the room. The optimal air temperature is 26-28°C, the substrate temperature is not lower than 24°C. In winter, it is advisable to reduce the temperature to 20°C, but not less than 18°C.
During the growing season, pineapple is watered with warm water (28-30°C) generously, in winter moderately, and often sprayed. In hot weather, water can be poured into the leaf rosette, but if the air temperature drops below 20°C, the water should be removed from the rosettes. The plant is fed twice a month (until the beginning of August) with organic fertilizers, and after the flower stalk appears - with a complete mineral fertilizer with microelements, keeping the soil constantly moist. With proper care, the fruits ripen in June-August in the third year after planting.
Most cultivated varieties do not produce seeds. Pineapple is propagated vegetatively. At the top of the fruit, an apical shoot grows, which can be separated and rooted. The cut top with a bunch of leaves is dried for two days and then planted for rooting in a pot, at the bottom of which sphagnum is placed and covered with sand (the height of the sand layer is 3-4 cm). Usually this operation is performed in August-September. After the roots grow (after 20-30 days), the plants are transplanted into a soil mixture of turf, leaf soil, humus, peat and sand (0.5: 2: 1: 1: 0.5). Rooted plants are transferred into pots with a diameter of 12-14 cm, the next year - into pots with a diameter of 16-17 cm, and a year later - into pots with a diameter of 18-20 cm.
In addition to the top of the infructescence, lateral shoots and basal shoots are used for propagation, which are carefully broken off after they reach a length of at least 20 cm. The cut is sprinkled with crushed charcoal. Cuttings are rooted only when the cuts become scarred.
The pineapple scale insect damages indoor flowers. When the air in the room is very dry, the tips of the leaves of the plant dry out.
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3 delicious sandwiches - a cucumber sandwich, a chicken sandwich, a cabbage and meat sandwich - a great idea for a quick snack or for an outdoor picnic. Just fresh vegetables, juicy chicken and cream cheese and a little seasoning. There are no onions in these sandwiches; if you wish, you can add onions marinated in balsamic vinegar to any of the sandwiches; this will not spoil the taste. Having quickly prepared snacks, all that remains is to pack a picnic basket and head to the nearest green lawn.
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One of the brightest months of the garden calendar pleasantly surprises with the balanced distribution of favorable and unfavorable days for working with plants according to the lunar calendar. Vegetable gardening in June can be done throughout the entire month, while the unfavorable periods are very short and still allow you to do useful work. There will be optimal days for sowing and planting, for pruning, for a pond, and even for construction work.
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Pineapples) is a perennial herbaceous plant, belongs to the flowering department, the monocot class, the order Grassaceae and the bromeliad family.
The homeland of the pineapple is the arid plateau regions of Brazil, and the first Europeans to taste the exotic fruit were members of Christopher Columbus's crew, who called the pineapple the most delicious on earth.
Is pineapple a berry or a fruit?
Many people ask the question, is pineapple a berry or a fruit? Or maybe it's a vegetable? In fact, pineapple is a herb (herbaceous plant), and scientists apply the names “tropical fruit” or “fruit” to it.
Pineapple - description, photo, structure
Pineapple is a rather prickly plant with exceptionally juicy and sweet-spicy fruits. The height of the plant varies from 60 to 100 cm. Pineapple leaves are of the succulent type and are able to accumulate moisture in their tissues, like. The length of individual leaves is 30-100 cm (in some species it can reach more than 2 meters). Numerous leaves are collected in a wide rosette, and in their axils there are many adventitious roots that absorb accumulated moisture. Pineapple leaves contain large quantities of fibers, which give the leaves strength and elasticity.
The root system of the plant develops quite poorly. Basically, pineapple roots are buried in the soil no more than 25-30 centimeters, and at the same time they cover a very small volume of soil.
At the growth point of a fully formed rosette, a long (up to 60 cm) flower shoot is formed. Pineapple flowers are bisexual, fused and located at the top of the flower shoot, sitting very often, forming a spiral. The flowers bloom in turns, about 10 flowers per day. The flowering period lasts about 3 weeks, after which a mini-fruit develops from each flower. The mini-fruits fused together represent a whole pineapple fruit. When flowers are pollinated (for example, by birds), seeds are formed in them, but the presence of seeds in the inflorescences reduces their edible qualities. Therefore, when industrially growing pineapples, people try to avoid pollination.
The ready-to-eat pineapple fruit looks a lot like a large, golden-brown bud. Inside the infructescence there is a fairly rigid axis, on the sides of which there are fruits, surprisingly juicy and tender, ending with the remains of keratinized flowers and covering leaves.
The average weight of a pineapple is about 2 kg, and its top is decorated with a crown (a panicle of short leaves), which appears as the internal axis of the fruit grows.
Most cultivated pineapples do not have seeds, and reproduction occurs with the help of tufted shoots, which are easily separated and rooted. True, when crossed with some other varieties, the seeds still develop, and they can also be used to propagate the plant.
After the first pineapple fruit ripens, the plant produces side shoots that are used for vegetative propagation. Usually the lateral shoots are removed, after which the pineapple blooms and bears fruit a second time. After the second harvest, the plant is uprooted and a new one is planted in its place.
In the ripe pineapple pulp you can see small white inclusions - ovules.
Also, the pineapple fruit is completely permeated with many conducting bundles - the main elements of the plant’s conducting system.
Photo taken from the site: www.researchgate.net
Unripe pineapple has a rather pungent, lip-burning taste and is a powerful laxative.
Ripe pineapple has excellent taste and a bright, rich aroma. The pulp of a ripe fruit is yellowish or white.
Where do pineapples grow?
The birthplace of the pineapple is the Mato Grosso plateau, located between Brazil and Paraguay. It was from here, from South America, that the spread of this plant to other countries began several centuries ago. Today, pineapple is cultivated in the tropical and subtropical zones of both hemispheres. Various varieties of pineapples are grown in Thailand and the Philippines, China and the USA, Brazil, India and Vietnam, Hawaii and Cuba, Mexico, Taiwan, the Republic of Cote d'Ivoire, Zaire and the Azores.
How do pineapples grow?
A pineapple plantation looks like an ordinary field with low bushes, but if you look closely and notice on each plant a fruit, a fragrant and tasty pineapple, the picture becomes much more interesting and unusual. Many people believe that pineapples grow on palm trees, but this is absolutely not true: everyone’s favorite sweet fruit with a slightly tart taste grows just a few tens of centimeters from the ground. On plantations, pineapples are planted in two rows at a distance of one and a half to two meters between each plant. Agricultural technology is quite painstaking and requires labor: pineapples are weeded, the soil is mulched, in case of severe drought, mechanized watering is carried out, plants are treated against pests, and fertilizers are applied. Such meticulous care of pineapples allows you to collect up to 3 harvests per year from one plantation.
The perennial plant pineapple spends the first months of its growth forming a powerful leaf rosette. Only after 11-18 months (depending on the type) is the pineapple ready to bloom. It takes from three months to six months for the fruit to form and ripen on the inflorescence - this factor also depends on the species and variety.
The ripe fruit is cut off, after which the pineapple continues to grow only through lateral shoots, since it loses its main growth point.
Types of pineapples, names and photos
Currently, the pineapple genus includes 6 species (according to information from theplantlist.org dated October 23, 2016):
- Ananas ananassoides, or Ananas nanus
- Ananas bracteatus - pineapple bract
- Ananas comosus – true pineapple (large-tufted, crested)
- Ananas lucidus – shiny pineapple
- Ananas parguazensis
- Ananas sagenaria
Below is a description of the types of pineapples:
A wild species of pineapple that grows in the forests and savannas of Venezuela, Brazil and Paraguay. A feature of the species is the almost complete absence of a stem, leaves up to 2.4 meters long and reddish inflorescences. The total height of the plant is from 90 to 100 cm. The fruits of this type of pineapple can be elongated or spherical in shape, and the sweet pulp contains small brown seeds.
- Pineapple bract ( Ananas bracteatus)
A very beautiful type of pineapple with long (up to 1 meter), bright green, curved leaves, on the surface of which there are white and yellow stripes. In the sun, the leaves fade and acquire pink and reddish shades. A tricolor variety of this pineapple, Ananas bracteatus tricolor, is used as a popular houseplant that can produce edible fruit. This type of pineapple grows in Paraguay, Brazil, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Argentina.
- Pineapple large-tufted, aka crested pineapple or real pineapple(Ananas comosus)
a valuable fruit plant cultivated in a number of countries with a tropical climate. The height of a perennial plant with numerous gray-green leaves is 1-1.5 m and higher. About 30 or more leaves appear on one plant. The length of the leaves of the true pineapple reaches from 30 cm to 100 cm. The flowers are bisexual, the length of the flower is 8 cm, the width is 4 cm. They are arranged in a spiral in spike-shaped inflorescences. Typically, about 200 flowers appear on one plant, and when combined, they form a pineapple fruit. The color of the flowers can be different: the color range varies from lilac and violet to pink and red. After the pineapple blooms, a yellow fruit is formed, on top of which there is a sultan - a rosette of narrow, long leaves with jagged edges. The fruit ripens in 4.5-5 months. As a wild crop, it is found in Brazil and Paraguay, where it grows on forest edges and open areas.
The leadership in pineapple cultivation is held by the Hawaiian Islands (30%), Thailand, the Philippines, Brazil and Costa Rica are slightly behind. The rough leaves of Taiwanese and Philippine pineapples are suitable for the production of spinning fiber. The weight of pineapples, depending on the variety, ranges from 1.5 to 5 kg. One kilogram of juicy pulp contains about 86% water, 15 mg of sucrose, 0.7 mg of citric acid and up to 50 mg of vitamin C (about 120 mg in leaves).
- Pineapples lucidus )
a plant with bright, decorative, almost thornless leaves, up to 1 m long and 3.5 cm wide. The colors of the leaves contain orange-red, brown and green shades, effectively contrasting with each other. The petals of the inflorescence are purple. Pineapples reach 12 cm in length and 5 cm in width. Small fruits contain tasteless, highly fibrous pulp. This type of pineapple is distributed in Ecuador, Colombia and Peru, Guiana, northern Brazil and Venezuela.
- Pineapple pargwasensis ( Ananas parguazensis)
a rare variety of pineapple, grows in Colombia, Venezuela, Guyana, French Guiana and northern Brazil. The plant is distinguished by miniature fruits, which are not of commercial interest, and relatively soft leaves that form luxurious plumes.
- Ananas sagenaria
a beautiful plant used mainly as an ornamental. The inflorescences of this plant and crested pineapple are very similar, but the length of the leaves of this species reaches more than 2 meters in length. The fruits are edible, very beautiful, red in color, and due to the low sugar content they have a sour taste. In their homeland, the fruits are used to make wine, and the long leaves are used to extract fiber and make rugs, hammocks, and even clothing. This type of pineapple grows in countries such as Brazil, Argentina, Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay.
Pineapple varieties
Almost all successfully cultivated pineapple varieties are the result of hybridization and breeding work. Varieties are usually divided into three groups depending on their growth characteristics and biological characteristics:
Spanish group
The developed varieties (mainly table varieties) are distinguished by the complete absence of spines on the leaves (or very few spines). The plants are resistant to diseases, the ripened fruits weigh from 1.5 kg (for the Spanish red pineapple) to 10 kg (for the Cabezon pineapple), they tolerate transportation well, but are significantly inferior in taste to dessert varieties. Among the varieties of this group the following are distinguished:
- Piña Blanca;
- Singapore;
- Canning;
- Cabezona;
- Spanish red.
Quinn (queen)
The leaves of these pineapple varieties are painted pale green, the leaf blades are short, studded with tenacious spines. The weight of the fruit is on average 1.3-1.5 kg. Popular varieties are:
- McGregor;
- Z-Queen;
- Quinn.
Cayenne
The varietal group includes plants with excellent taste and high yield. The rosette leaves are practically spineless, the fruits weigh from 1.5 to 3.5 kg, and tolerate transportation well. Particularly popular varieties of pineapples are:
- Fassaro (Selection-25);
- Baron Rothschild;
- Santo Domingo;
- Foulaya (Selection-32-33).
Chemical composition of pineapple, vitamins and minerals
In addition to the high content of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), pineapples contain vitamins B, PP and provitamin A. The pulp of ripe fruits also contains potassium, iron, zinc, copper, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, manganese and iodine.
Pineapple pulp is rich in bromelain - a complex of enzymes that break down proteins, making them better absorbed. Bromelain also has anti-inflammatory and immunocorrective properties. The highest concentration of bromelain is found in the hard core of the pineapple.
The calorie content of pineapple is very low: only 52 kcal per 100 g of ripe pulp, which is why it is often included in weight loss diets.
