Growing a Pineapple Plant at Home: From Grocery Store to Living Room

Kentucky is about as inland as it gets—zero tropical vibes. Yet a year ago, I decided I wanted a pineapple plant. Where to find one? Not at local nurseries.

Then I found the perfect pineapple: firm, sweet, juicy, heavenly. It deserved cloning. I'd just read an article by JaxFlaGardener (Jeremy Wayne Lucas) that inspired me. I saved the crown, trimmed it, rooted it in water—two weeks later, roots! Planted it, summered it outside, and watched it grow. From that sliced crown: 25 inches of pineapple plant in my den. Something no Kentucky nursery sells.

Pineapple History & Lore

My mother made the best pineapple upside-down cakes—maybe that's where my obsession began.

Think pineapples = Hawaii? Most do. But they originated in South America, reaching Hawaii only ~1813 via European spread. Columbus encountered them in 1493 on Guadeloupe. Natives called them "ananas," believing they came from the Amazon generations prior—pre-Incan burial sites yielded pineapple-shaped jars. Columbus told Ferdinand and Isabella they resembled green pine cones, sweet and delicious: "la piña de las Indias" (pine of the Indies). The name stuck; Spanish still calls them "piñas." In English, "pineapple" originally meant "pine cone."

Europe embraced the fruit. From there it spread to India, Africa, China, East Indies—warm climates where tender plants matured. Fruiting takes ~1.5 frost-free years on a 2-4 ft stem rising from a rosette of stiff, spine-edged leaves. (A few nights at 20°F reportedly don't harm them.) The fruit is a complex flower head around the stem. Unique trait: the main stem runs completely through the fruit. Each "eye" is a dried purple flower base. The crown contains a bud; when it matures, the fruit is ready. Pineapples bear no viable seeds—they grow from crowns.

Status Symbol to Science

1700s greenhouses let wealthy Europeans grow their own. Fresh pineapples became status symbols. Artisans carved them into furniture—bedposts, mirror frames, finials. Doorways, gateposts, gables adorned with pineapples. My great-grandparents' Bardstown home had such furniture; Grandma Ell said the pineapple signified welcome.

Medicinal uses were forgotten—until 19th century isolation of bromelain, a protein-digesting enzyme from the flesh. That's why Mom baked ham with pineapple: natural tenderizer. Also a digestive aid. Breaks down blood clots (proteins hold platelets together). Cleans dead tissue from burns, ulcers, surgery.

How Pineapples Reached Hawaii

Spanish sailors carried fruit on long voyages to prevent scurvy, possibly leaving crowns to root on Pacific islands. (Spanish never reached Hawaii, but island-to-island transfer was easy.) However it arrived, pineapple became a major Hawaiian crop and the island's iconic symbol.

My Plant's Future

Literature says 2 years to fruit, blooming at 2-4 ft height. Mine hit the height mark. It won't bloom indoors this winter, but maybe this summer? Regardless, it's a lovely plant—dark green leaves, excellent posture. Meanwhile, I'll make Mom's pineapple upside-down cake.

Mom's Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

1 can sliced pineapple
¼ cup melted margarine
⅔ cup packed brown sugar
Maraschino cherries
1 pkg. yellow cake mix

Drain pineapple, reserve ¾ cup juice. Stir margarine and brown sugar in 12" ovenproof skillet. Arrange pineapple in sugar; place cherry in each ring center. Prepare cake mix per directions, replacing water with reserved juice. Pour over pineapple. Bake 350°F, 40-45 min, until toothpick tests clean. Cool 5 min. Loosen edges, invert onto platter. Enjoy!

Photos from PlantFiles (Xyris, IslandJim, Vroomp, Harmhahn). Sources: Wikipedia, Purdue Horticulture, Plant of the Week. Editor's Note: Originally published November 9, 2010.