Robust, terrestrial bromeliad forming a tight rosette 60 – 150 cm tall. Leaves 50 – 120 cm long, linear‑lanceolate, waxy‑blue‑green with coarse marginal spines; leaf bases overlap to create a water‑holding tank. The terminal inflorescence bears 50 – 200 purple‑violet flowers subtended by red‑tipped bracts; post‑pollination, individual berries fuse into a single multiple fruit (syncarp) 10 – 30 cm long and 0.5 – 4 kg. Crown of leafy “slips” develops atop the fruit. Stem short and fibrous; adventitious roots arise along its length. Wild types exhibit stronger spination and smaller fruits; cultivated clones vary in flesh colour from pale‑yellow to deep‑gold.
Plant 0.6 – 1.5 m tall; rosette Ø 1 m
Fruit 0.5 – 4 kg (cultivar dependent)
Individual plant 2 – 3 yr; ratoon cycle 4–5 yr
Not applicable (monoecious)
Flower induction at 12 – 18 mo under tropical conditions
Commercial flowering induced year‑round; natural peak late dry season
Fruit maturation 5 – 6 mo after flowering
Robust, terrestrial bromeliad forming a tight rosette 60 – 150 cm tall. Leaves 50 – 120 cm long, linear‑lanceolate, waxy‑blue‑green with coarse marginal spines; leaf bases overlap to create a water‑holding tank. The terminal inflorescence bears 50 – 200 purple‑violet flowers subtended by red‑tipped bracts; post‑pollination, individual berries fuse into a single multiple fruit (syncarp) 10 – 30 cm long and 0.5 – 4 kg. Crown of leafy “slips” develops atop the fruit. Stem short and fibrous; adventitious roots arise along its length. Wild types exhibit stronger spination and smaller fruits; cultivated clones vary in flesh colour from pale‑yellow to deep‑gold.
Primary producer; inflorescences supply nectar to hummingbirds and native bees; ripe fruit eaten by agoutis, coatis and parrots, aiding seed dispersal in non‑commercial stands.
“Social” Traits & Reproductive Behaviour
Reproductive strategy: each plant produces a single terminal inflorescence holding 50 – 200 bisexual flowers. In wild or land‑race stands, flowers are pollinated primarily by hummingbirds (Phaethornis, Chlorostilbon spp.) and native stingless bees; commercial plantations often suppress pollinators to avoid seed formation.
Floral biology: exhibits partial self‑incompatibility; protogynous phase lasts ~12 h before anthers dehisce.
Vegetative propagation: farmers detach slips, suckers and crowns from the mother plant, creating clonal “social clusters” (ratoon cycles).
Phenology: natural flowering peaks in the late dry season; industrial farms apply ethylene (ethephon) to synchronize bloom.
Axil micro‑ecosystems: overlapping leaves form water‑holding tanks (phytotelmata) that host diverse aquatic invertebrates and provide hydration sites for tree frogs.
The pineapple “fruit” is a multiple fruit: 100–200 individual berries fused around a central axis.
Contains the proteolytic enzyme bromelain, used medically to reduce inflammation and to tenderise meat.
Christopher Columbus first encountered pineapple on Guadeloupe in 1493 and introduced it to Europe.
A ripe pineapple can contain up to 16 % sugar yet remains low on the glycemic index thanks to high fibre.
Traditionally a symbol of hospitality in the Caribbean; carved pineapples adorn colonial door‑knockers.
Introduced
Increasing
