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Plant Of The Week

Pineapple Plants

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By MONICA BRANDIES | The Brandon News

Published: February 7, 2007

A row of pineapple plants (Ananas comosus) in the Jaudons back yard had given them 25 fruits over the last year.
This one was recently picked and smelled even better than the orchid.
Pineapples are easy to grow and take little care.
In the mid-1800s, they were a big Florida industry along the St. John's River and in the Keys. By 1900 there were more than 5,000 acres in pineapple cultivation with production of a million crates a year.
In 1910 Cuban pineapples glutted the market and the industry declined after that with freezes, droughts and nematode troubles.
But Florida gardeners have continued to grow them in their yards and you can't get one even in Hawaii that tastes better.
You can start them from the tops of purchased fruits. Cut off the top, perhaps with a bit of flesh attached, but not necessarily. Peel away the lower leaves and root it like a cutting, either in water or in well prepared, humusy garden soil.
Keep them moist until well rooted. It takes from 15 months to three years to get fruit. Each stem produces only one, but suckers will continue to produce others.

Now's the time to ...
Talk about freezes. Pineapple leaves may turn yellow at 40 degrees but the cold can also encourage fruiting. Freezing can cause severe damage. I used to cover mine, but I don't anymore because they are all over the yard. I've never had serious damage. At worst they will come back from the roots and you'll lose a year of fruiting.
If you have serious nematode problems or live far north in the state, you can grow each plant in a 3-gallon pot.
The Jaudons didn't get fruit until they started washing out the pineapple centers with a hose and then putting pieces of apple down in the throats. The ethylene gas produced by the apples will trigger fruit set. You also may use bananas.
Like all fruits, pineapples need as much sun as possible. I grow and harvest quite a few in the shade though it takes much longer.

Upcoming events
On Feb. 17 there will be a landscape design workshop Day at the University of South Florida Botanical Gardens conservatory, 4202 E. Fowler Ave., from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Basic landscaping will be presented from 10 to 11 by professional landscaper/USF gardener Dave Ropp. Native plant landscaping will be presented by George Kish, former president of the Native Plant Society, from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. I'll teach landscaping in shady areas from 1 to 2.
Each workshop is $10 for the general public, $7 for USF garden members. The cost for all three workshops is $24. Seating is limited, so call 974-2329 to make a reservation. For more information, visit www.cas.usf.edu/garden.

Monica Brandies can be reached at monica@gardensflorida.com.

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