A pineapple is many people’s favorite because of its sweet and sour taste.They are also packed with several nutrients such as Vitamin C and manganese. Keep reading to know more about growing pineapples!Pineapples are a tropical fruit that are full of enzymes, antioxidants, and vitamins that do wonders for the human body. It is easily a part of anybody’s grocery list. Eating pineapples can help in building strong bones and improving indigestion and the immune system. What is interesting is that despite being a sweet fruit, pineapples are low in calories compared to their counterparts. One cup of pineapple contains just about 74 calories and a whopping 0% of fat! Pineapples are part of a family known as the bromeliad. However, it is the only bromeliad that produces a fruit that can be eaten by us. Needless to speak, this fruit exhibits an interesting anatomy as it has no no seeds!If you enjoyed this article, why not also read about where do kiwis grow or how do you know when a pineapple is ripe here on Kidadl?How long do pineapples take to grow to full size?Contrary to the popular notion, pineapples at a plantation take 32-46 months to attain full growth and they do not grow on trees.They grow from the soil where they are planted from a leaf. The pineapple is made of a central stem, which is surrounded by dense leaves that look sword-like and are tapered. As the pineapple doesn’t grow on trees, the fruit, that is the pineapple itself, grows from the top of the central stem of the pineapple plant. Several individual fruit-producing flowers, around 200, happen to fuse into one, single fruit. Its top has a crown-like structure from where many short leafy structures start sprouting out. A pineapple doesn’t possess seeds. In fact, they are self-incompatible meaning that pollens of the pineapple family cannot fertilize others of the same family or variety. In this case, the pineapple plant will develop a seedless fruit devoid of any fertilization unless different varieties are grown together and they flower simultaneously.Growing a pineapple requires patience as it can take a lot of time to fruit. Usually, the pineapple plant will flower as soon as it reaches its ideal height. If you grow a pineapple plant, you must take care of it very well so they give you fresh fruits soon. A pineapple grows the quickest in tropical regions such as Hawaii (around 16 months), so if you are cultivating outside of this area in places like Florida, it may take longer (around 24 months). If you planting them in places such as Illinois, it is best to be prepared for a waiting time of more than two years to see flowering and fruiting. Pineapple cultivation is nothing short of a long-term investment. This is because once the flower develops, you will need to wait another long, six months before it produces fruit. Once the pineapple starts to look yellow, you may pluck it as it is ripe enough to be plucked. Remember to look out for any yellow tinge. Once your plant starts to produce the first few fruits, the process becomes easier and the waiting time reduces. Mature pineapple plants tend to produce a lot more offspring in a quicker time interval.How many pineapples can one plant grow?Approximately, when grown one at a time, each of these plants may give rise to three fruits in their lifetime.However, it is to be remembered that some plants may only be capable of producing fewer, while others may produce more. The first fruit to develop is usually the largest and the ones succeeding it will be smaller in size. In the case of indoor pineapple plants that are grown in pots, only one to two fruits may be produced in a lifetime. This is because they may not receive the proper conditions for fruiting at home. Each and every flower that is produced by the pineapple plant has the ability to grow into a fruit. However, it all depends on climatic conditions, the care given to the plant, water, and soil. Once the pineapple plant has fruited to its maximum, it needs to be replaced. The mother plant of the pineapple or the first plant that was grown produces just one fruit throughout its lifetime. Once this fruit has been produced, the mother plant will slowly die. The next fruits grow out from the mother plant’s side shoots known as raccoons. Often people transplant the raccoons into separate containers where they can grow as a mother plant. However, a raccoon can flower only once. A mother plant can produce several suckers. It is best if you remove all of them except for the two that are the strongest. This is because having too many suckers on a plant can deteriorate the rate of fruiting as it can weaken the pineapple plant.Where do pink pineapples grow?Pink pineapple fruit, also known as a pink glow pineapple, can be found in South America. Specifically, it is harvested in Costa Rica’s south-central region.This variety of pineapples coming from southern America taste different from the regular ones. They are sweeter, less sour, and juicier. Some people claim that it’s like candy as well! It is interesting because the pink pigment comes from a natural pigment known as lycopene. This pigment can be found in other fruits such as tomatoes and watermelons as well. This cool variety of the pineapple family was introduced to the world in 2016. Although they have been growing for the last 12 years, companies like Del Monte have only in the recent days been selling the genetically modified variant in stores where we can have access to them. Moreover, the FDA has also approved the production of this fruit.What country grows the most pineapples?Costa Rica, home to pink pineapples, is the number one producer of pineapple plantations in the pineapple market.Statistics suggest that the country generates a whopping $2,000,000,000 from the pineapple harvest per year in the market. A pineapple that grows here is compared to gold for its beautiful color. Pineapple harvesting requires nutrients such as magnesium, iron, lime, and nitrogen which the soil here provides in ample amounts. Apart from the pink variety, this place is famous for the harvest of other forms of fresh pineapples too such as the gold variety. A pineapple here is most often used on grilled kebabs. In fact, most pineapples in Europe are imported from this country! Another place where pineapple is ironically is not a native fruit but it grows very well, is the Philippines.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for where do pineapples naturally grow? Fun facts about this juicy fruit for kids, then why not take a look at where do ducks sleep? Do all ducks sleep with one eye open?, or how rare are 4 leaf clovers? Odds of finding four leaf clover.
A pineapple is many people’s favorite because of its sweet and sour taste.
