Pineapple Plant

Though it can take awhile for a homegrown plant to bear fruit, it is possible to grow them at home from the crowns of a purchased whole pineapple.

And while you're waiting, you'll have a houseplant that is unique and attractive, and can provide many interesting conversations.

Where do you start? Purchase and enjoy the fruit of a whole, fresh, sweet, juicy pineapple and save the crown from the trash or compost bin.

The pineapple plant is part of the bromeliad family, so whether you are able to get fruit or not, you'll still have a beautiful plant to add to your collection of plants.

Where to Begin

Start with a fresh pineapple. Remove the crown, which is the entire leafy top of the fruit, by twisting it firmly or cutting it off.

Trim any fleshy areas from this to prevent rotting. Trim the crown's base until you can see small round root buds on the base.

Be careful not to cut into this tissue. Trim off the lower leaves of the crown to expose about an inch of the base.

Place the crown with the base facing up in a shady area for a week to let the cut leaf scars heal.

Use a standard pot with good drainage, about eight inches in diameter. Use standard houseplant potting soil with an inch of gravel at the bottom.

Carefully place the crown into the soil, avoiding soil getting between leaves. Water just enough for the plant to be gently tamped into the soil.

Maintenance of a Pineapple Plant

Fertilize the plant every two to three months with a houseplant food. Despite being a juicy fruit, the plant doesn't need more than weekly watering, allowing adequate drainage.

Since it is a tropical plant, it is susceptible to frost. Keep it indoors until there is no danger of frost.

Place it in a shaded area until acclimated, about a week. Well before any fall frost danger, bring it indoors and keep it where it can get the maximum sunlight possible.

Don't leave it near a cold window overnight, as this cold is enough to kill it. You can use plant lights to keep it indoors year-round.

If kept indoors, plants are susceptible to mealybugs, scale and mites. Wash the leaves with a soap and water solution and rinse.

A houseplant insecticide can also be used. Heart rot, a fungus disease, can turn the leaves at the center of the crown black.

These can be pulled from the plant, which will then send out a shoot at the base. When it is big enough, remove this shoot and plant it. This new plant will replace the diseased plant.

Flowers and Fruit

After about a year, the plant should be about two feet in height. A bud will form in the center of the crown and after two more months, a bright red cone will emerge from this bud.

Flowers will open in rows over the next two weeks. Once the last flower dries up, the fruit will start to develop.

The fruit takes about six months to mature for harvesting. As the fruit matures, it changes color from green to the rich gold we have come to know as a ripe pineapple.

When at least the bottom half of the fruit is gold, it can be picked and eaten.

After this fruit is ripe, shoots will again be produced by the crown. Leave one or two on the mother plant to bear a second fruit. Remove the rest and repot, starting the cycle again.

The pineapple plant can be a unique addition to a collection of houseplants. And if you have the patience, it can produce a sweet and delicious fruit and additional plants in time.