Caring for ornamental pineapple species. Pineapple is neither a fruit nor a vegetable! We will teach anyone how to grow it yourself How much does a pineapple weigh
Family: Bromeliaceae (Bromeliaceae).Homeland: Central Brazil.
Bloom: rare in culture.
Height: average.
Light: bright, optimal placement by the south window.
Temperature: in summer 22-30°C, in winter not below 18°C.
Watering: plentiful in summer, reduce watering in winter.
Air humidity: average.
Top dressing: from March to September once every two weeks.
rest period:(October-March), temperature 18-20°C, regular watering, do not feed.
Transfer: spring, young annually, adults as needed every 2-3 years.
Reproduction: spring seeds, daughter tubers and cuttings.
Types of Pineapple - Ananas
Large-tufted pineapple (Ananas comosus (L.) Merr.s).Synonym: Pineapple pineapple (Ananas ananas (L.) Voss); A. duckei (Ananas duckei hort., nom. Inval); A. sativus (Ananas sativus Schult. & Schult. f.); A. sowing diff. dukei (Ananas sativus var. duckei Camargo, nom. nud.); Pineapple bromeliad (Bromelia ananas L.); Large crested bromeliad (Bromelia comosa L.).
This is a terrestrial plant with a strongly shortened stem and a rosette of rigid linear xiphoid leaves, in adulthood it has a height of 1 m and a diameter of 2 m. The leaves are gray-green, grooved, strongly narrowed towards the top, covered entirely with scales, seated at the edges with sharp spikes. The flowers are bisexual, 8 cm long, 4 cm wide, spirally arranged in simple dense spike-shaped inflorescences, where they sit in the axils of wide cup-shaped bracts. Petals 1.2 cm long, pinkish-purple, sepals do not grow together, prickly along the edge. After the end of flowering, a compact golden-yellow fruit is formed. The main axis continues to grow, and a shortened vegetative shoot, the “sultan”, is formed at the top of the seed. Blooms in March-April, July, December; fruit maturation lasts 4.5-5 months. Native to Brazil, found on open places, forest edges, in sparse herbage. In Europe in culture since 1650.
There is the most striking form of variegatus, which is distinguished by its smaller size and white longitudinal stripes along the edges of the leaves.
Pineapple bract (Ananas bracteatus (Lindl.) Schult. & Schult. f.)- the most beautiful species with a bright greenish color with yellow, white stripes and curved leaves 35-70 cm long.
Dwarf pineapple (Ananas nanus (L. B. Sm.) L. B. Sm.) Synonym: A. pineapple diff. dwarf (Ananas ananassoides var. nanus L. B. Sm.). This is a new dwarf variety with 20-30 centimeter leaves.
Plant Care Pineapple - Ananas
Pineapple is a light-loving plant, it needs good lighting all year round. Optimal for him is the placement near the windows of the southern orientation. An indicator of sufficient illumination of a pineapple is the bluish color of old leaves and the reddish tips of young ones; the plant grows dense, strong, its leaves do not fall apart to the sides. IN winter time and cloudy days, it is desirable to illuminate for 8-10 hours with fluorescent lamps at a distance of about 20 cm.The optimum air temperature for pineapple in the summer is about 22-30°C. In the autumn winter period not lower than 18°C. In winter, in order to avoid damage to the plant by the hot air flow emanating from the radiators central heating, pots with pineapples are set in wide pallets with wet sand.
In summer, the plant is abundantly watered with soft water. room temperature. In hot weather, water can be poured into the rosette of leaves, but if the air temperature drops below 20 ° C, then the water from the rosettes should be removed. In winter, watering is reduced, if the air temperature drops to 15 ° C, then watering is reduced and completely stopped in order to avoid rotting of the plant.
Pineapple tolerates dry air well, so it does not need additional spraying.
Fertilizers are applied in spring and summer. It is best to use alternately organic and mineral fertilizers; making them every two to three weeks.
The soil mixture for growing pineapple is made up of: 2 parts of leafy soil, 1 part of sod, 1 humus and 1 sand or from semi-rotted leaves, fibrous peat, rotten, lumpy sod land taken in equal parts. Pineapples need acidic soil pH 4-5. Good drainage is necessary for pineapple, containers for growing pineapple must be taken wide and low, since the root system of pineapple is superficial.
Pineapples breed different ways: seeds, cuttings, children, root shoots.
Pineapple seeds are small, 1.5 x 4.0 mm in size, yellow-brown, sickle-curved. They are extracted from well-ripened fruits, washed in a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate and dried in air. The substrate for sowing seeds can be leafy soil, coniferous soil, or a mixture of equal parts of peat soil and sand. In this case, the seeds are immersed in the soil to a depth of 1-2 cm, watered with settled water and covered with a transparent film or glass on top.
Sowing is placed in a very warm room (the temperature should not fall below 20 ° C). The rate of emergence of the first shoots depends on the temperature in the room. At a temperature of 20-24°C, seed germination occurs after a month and a half, at 25-27°C - after 20-25 days, and at 30-35°C, the first shoots appear after 15-20 days. Pineapple seeds germinate unfriendly, in different time. So, the germination of some seeds can take 5-7 or more months.
Seedling care comes down to regular watering and spraying. Fertilizer watering is applied twice a month with a solution of mineral fertilizers or bird droppings at the rate of 15-20 g per liter. On hot days, young plants shade from the sun. When the leaves reach 6-7 cm, the seedlings dive into a loose substrate. It is prepared from equal parts of leaf, sod, peat, humus soil and sand with the addition of a small amount (about 5% of the total volume of the substrate) charcoal. In addition, plants must be gradually accustomed to drier air, systematically opening the film cover.
Barren shoots, which often develop under the inflorescence, and the suprafruit rosette of leaves, which are cut along with the top of the fruit, can be cut into cuttings.
To propagate a pineapple with a rosette, you need to select a fruit with a well-developed bunch of leaves and cut off the top 2.5 cm thick from it. The flesh must be cut off, leaving only a bunch of leaves on a fibrous cylindrical core. Sections on the cuttings are treated with a strong solution of potassium permanganate, and then with charcoal powder. After that, the cuttings are dried for 2 days in a dark and dry place. Planted in a substrate of equal parts of leaf, peat soil and sand with the addition of charcoal. Planted cuttings are cultivated under glass or film at a temperature of 22-24 ° C and good lighting. Rooting of cuttings under such conditions usually occurs within 1.5-2 months, with more high temperature rooting comes faster. They are left under a transparent cover for some more time, and when the growth of new leaves intensifies, it is removed, the seedlings are often sprayed with water.
Pineapple can also be propagated by basal children.
side shoots and basal offspring are carefully broken out after they have reached a length of at least 20 cm. Basal offspring often already have their own roots. The cut is sprinkled with crushed charcoal and allowed to dry for 5-7 days in a cool, ventilated place. To improve the formation of roots in coal, it is good to add a stimulant (heteroauxin) as well. Root cuttings only when the cuts are healed. After that, basal rosettes are planted in a substrate composed of two layers: a three-centimeter layer of soddy soil is poured onto the bottom of the pot, and a substrate consisting of one part of leafy soil, one part of humus and two parts of sand is poured on top. Or large washed and calcined sand, fine expanded clay or gravel, broken bricks or cuttings, perlite mixed with long-staple peat. Sometimes the cuttings are rooted immediately in loose land mixture for young plants mixed with coarse sand.
The optimum air temperature for the rooting of children is 22-26 ° C, but at the same time, lower heating must be provided so that the temperature of the substrate is not lower than 25 ° C. To increase the humidity, the stalk is covered with a jar or a transparent bag. To do this, stick 3-4 sticks around the cutting between the leaves and cover it. plastic bag so that the leaves do not touch it. The edges of the bag are pulled together with an elastic band if rooting occurs in a pot. In this case, water droplets will not flow down the leaves, which can cause the cuttings to rot, but along the inner wall of the bag. The plant needs to create optimal conditions: bright diffused light (but not direct sunlight), high humidity and heat, substrate temperature not lower than 25 ° C. At home, it can be heated with fluorescent lamps, or fluorescent lamps, or simply from a central heating battery.
Under favorable conditions, roots appear within months. During this period, it is necessary to monitor the humidity of the substrate, it is important not to overmoisten or overdry it, to systematically ventilate the plants, removing the bag or jar for several minutes daily. The first sign of rooting is the appearance of new light green leaves in the center.
For planting a plant that has given roots, a shallow bowl is used, since the root system of the pineapple is wide and superficial, the roots do not go deep into the soil. A large shard is placed at the bottom with the concave side down or pieces of aluminum wire are laid (you can use plastic or polyethylene gratings). The 2/3 bowl must be filled with drainage. Good drainage and a loose substrate contribute to the development of roots and prevent waterlogging and acidification of the soil during the cold season. Rooted young plants are transplanted into pots filled with a substrate consisting of 2 parts of leafy soil, 1 part of turf, 1 humus and 1 sand. They are kept in warm and bright rooms with a temperature of at least 25°C (optimal - 28-30°C).
Pineapple blooms in the 3-4th year (when the length of the leaves reaches about 60 cm, and the diameter of the base is about 10 cm), but sometimes much later, or even does not bloom at all. Acetylene water can be used to stimulate flowering. To do this, dissolve a piece of carbide (15 g) in liter jar with water. After the end of gas evolution, the solution must be carefully filtered and stored in a refrigerator in a tightly closed jar (so it does not lose its properties for 2 days). A quarter cup of liquid at room temperature is poured into the center of the outlet, where the growth point is located. The next day, the procedure is repeated. Stimulation is possible only in adult plants and in the warm season. After 1.5-2 months, a reddish-red peduncle should appear from the center of the outlet. With a lack of light, it may have a salad color. At this time, it is necessary to maximize the lighting and increase the content of phosphorus and potassium in top dressing by reducing the proportion of nitrogen.
Precautionary measures: Crested pineapple can cause contact dermatitis.
Possible difficulties Pineapple - Ananas
Pale leaf color:The reason may be the lack of lighting. Adjust the lighting, on cloudy days, backlighting with fluorescent lamps is necessary.
The rosette of leaves is loose and falls apart to the side: The reason may also be a lack of light.
Damaged: scab and phylloxera.
The history of Europeans' acquaintance with pineapples begins in 1493, when the Spaniards, who landed in Central America, discovered previously unknown juicy fruits on the islands. A little later, the candied pulp and the pineapples themselves were sent to the Old World, where the sweet and sour taste of the outlandish delicacy was to the taste of the crowned persons and the nobility.
Within a few decades, pineapples were brought to Asian and African colonies, where the local climate was very suitable for a tropical plant. At the same time, the cultivation of the crop was established in South and Central America, as well as in European greenhouses and greenhouses.
Obviously, the desire to get sweeter, larger and juicier fruits existed in those days. Therefore, the ancestors of modern pineapple varieties appeared already in the 18th century, and at the beginning of the 20th century, work on the selection of tropical fruits was in full swing. This was facilitated by the creation large companies engaged in the cultivation of pineapples and their processing. The research center was a specialized institute for the study of pineapple, located in Hawaii. And plantings have spread to the southern states of the United States, including Florida.
Since then, cultural pineapples have changed dramatically, as not only has the weight of individual fruits increased, but people have learned to get fruits containing less acids and more sugars. But at the same time, all varieties of pineapple grown on plantations in Costa Rica, the Philippines, Ghana, the USA, Vietnam or Australia are plants belonging to the genus Ananas comosus var. comosus.
Ananas comosus var. comosus
Like other varieties, large-tufted pineapple is a perennial herbaceous plant from the bromeliad family, and the fruit beloved by many is a juicy fruit, which, depending on the species and variety, may have different shape, dimensions and weight. If fruits weighing up to 10 kg ripen on plants of the Giant Q variety, then mini pineapples bred in southeast Asia have almost no hard core, but weigh no more than 500 grams.
International trade classification is based on the existence of several large groups of pineapple varieties. These are Smooth Cayenne, Spanish, Queen, Abacaxi and Pernambuco. Since selection work is ongoing, in addition to these classes, other varieties and varieties appear.
The first, most extensive group of "Smooth Cayenne" is more plants grown in Hawaii and Honduras. Also exotic fruits pineapples with characteristic features belonging to this varietal group can be found in the Philippines and Cuba, on the plantations of South Africa and in Mexico. Smooth Cayenne plants have a short stem, on which, gradually turning yellow from the bottom to the rosette, fruits weighing from 1.5 to 3 kg ripen. The pulp of pineapple is dense, light yellow, with a high content of both acids and sugar, which gives the taste of the fruit some sharpness.
Often the harvest from plants of this varietal group goes not only for fresh sale, but also for the manufacture of canned fruits. Not surprisingly, up to 90% of the world's canned fruits are produced from the varieties included in the group. Compared to other varieties, Smooth Cayenne pineapples take longer to develop and can be attacked by common crop pests and diseases.
The Cayenne varietal group includes many independent varieties:
- Baron de Rothschild,
- G-25,
- dominguo,
- gaimpew,
- maipure,
- Sarawak,
- La Esmeralda,
- Hilo,
- Champaca,
- amritha,
- MD-2.
However, plants and fruits different varieties within the same group can be very different from each other. For example, Champaka pineapple, which produces edible but truly dwarf fruits, is grown as a houseplant. And Kew pineapples are giants weighing from 4 to 10 kg, which grow only on plantations.
Among the varieties of this extensive group, one can single out Amritha pineapples with prickly pointed leaves and cylindrical, tapering to the bottom fruits weighing from 1.5 to 2 kg. From the moment of planting to the flowering of a plant of this pineapple variety, 13-15 months pass. The variety is distinguished by the formation of a small compact rosette at the top of the fruit. The exotic fruit itself, pineapples, when unripe, have a smooth green color that changes to yellow when the fruit is ready to be cut.
The thickness of the bark reaches 6 mm, and the pale yellow flesh underneath is dense, crisp, without noticeable fibers. Amritha pineapple stands out for its low acidity and rich aroma.
Almost 50% of the world market of fresh pineapples comes from the MD-2 variety, which, according to experts, is considered to be the standard for the international market.
Cultivation of the pineapple variety in Central and South America began in 1996, and during this time the plants have shown that they can bear fruit consistently. High quality fruits have:
- high sugar content
- flat cylindrical shape
- low acid content
- average weight from 1.5 to 2 kg.
MD-2 fruits are distinguished by a very long shelf life of up to 30 days, which makes it possible to transport exotic pineapple fruits over long distances without loss of quality.
And yet the plant can not be called perfect. MD-2 is more susceptible to rot and late blight than the Kew pineapple variety.
The second group of pineapple varieties is called "Spanish". Red Spanish pineapples are actively grown in Central America. The main crops are obtained in Puerto Rico. Typically, such fruits, mainly for export, weigh 1-2 kilograms. Beneath the hard, reddish rind, from which the group derives its name, lies a pale yellow or almost white flesh with a mild flavor and rather fibrous structure compared to cayenne varieties. When cut open, a Spanish pineapple appears almost square.
The Spanish group includes varieties:
- pina blanca,
- red spanish,
- cabezona,
- Canning,
- Valera Amarilla Roja,
Plants of these and other varieties included in the group delight with fruits weighing from 1 to 10 kg, and these are mainly table pineapples, slightly inferior in taste to dessert varieties. This is expressed in a tougher pulp and lower sugar content.
The Queen group also includes many noteworthy varieties of pineapple, for example:
- natal Queen,
- macgregor,
- Z Queen.
Pineapples of these varieties can be recognized by the greenish color of the peel. The rosette consists of small leaves decorated with spines along the edge. The weight of such a fruit on average does not exceed 1.5 kg, and the flesh strikes with a bright yellow color.
Gourmets note that when comparing African and South American pineapples, it is difficult to give preference to one or another fruit. This is due to the dissimilarity of taste. Pineapples from South Africa are not as sweet, but their acidity is lower than that of varieties native to the American continent. The best Natal Queen pineapples with almost orange dessert flesh are grown in South Africa.
Under the single group name Abacaxi, varieties are combined, with light or almost white juicy pulp that does not have signs of lignification. The most famous varieties here are:
- Kona Sugarloaf,
- Black Jamaica,
Most of the Sugarloaf pineapple plantings are in Mexico and Venezuela. The fruits are different low content acid, high juiciness and sweetness. The mass of such a pineapple can range from 1 to 2.7 kg.
In addition to the listed groups and varieties, there are many others of regional importance. For example, Australia has been conducting its own selection work for 150 years, based on experiments that began in the 19th century in England. Today, an original varietal group is grown here, the fruits of which are in demand throughout the country.
Also known is the Pernambuco pineapple variety of Brazilian origin. Despite the fact that these pineapples do not store very well, they are in demand due to their high sugar content and excellent quality of small portioned fruits.
In Asia, varieties of local selection are common, which include Thai pineapples Tard Sri Thong and Sriracha, the Mauritius variety from India, as well as the extremely popular Baby dwarf pineapples, which are distinguished by uniform juicy and very sweet pulp.
Mini pineapples or Baby forms fruits only 10–15 cm high. The diameter of such a crumb is about 10 cm, but with a modest size, the taste of a miniature fruit is in no way inferior to a large one. At the same time, pineapple has a tender, fragrant and sweet pulp that does not have hard inclusions, like all fruits of standard sizes.
First of all, the following varieties of Ananas comosus act in this capacity:
- ananassoides,
- erectifolius,
- parguazensis,
- Bracteatus.
The subspecies, also known as the red pineapple, is a native South American plant. Even today, wild-growing specimens of this variety can be found in Brazil and Bolivia, Argentina, Paraguay and Ecuador.
Plants about a meter high are distinguished by a bright color that combines stripes of almost white and dense green. The leaves are decorated with sharp thorns along the edge. If the pineapple of this subspecies is grown in a well-lit place, then pink tones begin to predominate in the color of its rosette and fruits. It is thanks to this feature that the plant got its name.
The flowering of red pineapple is practically no different from how other subspecies of Ananas comosus bloom. And the fertility of plants is much higher than that of large-tufted pineapple.
Due to the unusual appearance of the foliage and the brightness of the whole plant, Ananas bracteatus is an ornamental pineapple, grown for its small red fruits. In the garden, plants can be used as hedge or in the flower beds, and in the house, a red pineapple will decorate any interior.
Pineapples of this variety are also indigenous to South America, namely Brazil, Paraguay and Venezuela. In tropical areas and in the east of the Andes, plants with a height of 90 to 100 cm are quite common both in savannah conditions, where there is a lack of moisture, and in shady, humid forests along riverbeds in Guiana and Costa Rica.
This subspecies of wild-growing pineapple is widespread, and its dwarf fruits attract the attention of gardeners and lovers of indoor crops to the plant. Distinctive feature ornamental pineapple - almost complete absence of a stem, hard, sharp leaves, 90 to 240 cm long and reddish 15 cm inflorescences.
The fruits of this South American pineapple can be spherical. But more often, elongated cylindrical infructescences are formed on thin flexible stalks. The flesh inside is white or yellowish, fibrous, sweet with small brown seeds.
A bright large variety of pineapple, like other representatives of the genus, is a native of South America and is found in a number of countries in the region. Although mini pineapples ripening on plants have no commercial value, the crop is actively grown in gardens and indoors.
There are several varieties of pineapples of this subspecies, the most popular of which is the “Chocolate” presented in the photo.
Pineapple subspecies parguazensis is not very common. Most of the wild population is found in Colombia, northern Brazil and Venezuela, Guyana, and the plant is also found in French Guiana. characteristic feature plants can be seen as serrated soft leaves and powerful plumes on the tiny seedlings of ornamental pineapple.
Flowering and growth of pineapple at home - video
Since Christopher Columbus was the first European to taste pineapple half a thousand years ago, the palette of colors describing this delicacy has been greatly enriched.
It turned out, in particular, that there are 9 known types of pineapples and many more varieties and varieties. They are also grown for aesthetic purposes.
Pineapple dwarf (Ananas ananassoides)
A fairly large (0.9 x 1.2 m) variety of ornamental pineapple with an average size of dark green, narrow, serrated edges and pointed at the ends of leaves up to 30 cm. Before flowering takes 3-4 years.
The spike-shaped inflorescence has pink bracts, in the axils of which flowers are located. The shoot at the top of the seed fruit has tightly compressed shortened leaves.
Did you know? Having completed the function of fruiting, the outlet dies.
Pineapple bract (Ananas bracteatus)
This is the most beautiful decorative relative of the pineapple, widely known in cooking. These fruits can also be eaten ( within this variety of pineapple there are also inedible varieties).But the first fruitful shoot is thrown out only after six years, and even before half a year the delicacy itself ripens.
Long and wide (90 x 6.5 cm) leaves of bronze green color are framed with a yellow border. Very spectacular tricolor varieties of pineapple bracts are also known.
Important! Gloves protect against sharp thorns.
Crested pineapple (Ananas comosus)
Meeting with numerous descriptions of pineapple species, you pay attention to the vastness of information about pineapple crested(also called bromeliad large-tufted). This pineapple is a land plant.
Its linear xiphoid leaves of gray-green color, with sharp spikes along the edges, create a rigid rosette on a shortened stem. The size of the plant is impressive - a meter high with a two-meter diameter.
Large (4 x 8 cm) flowers, in place of which, after flowering, golden seedlings appear. Growth ends at their tops with vegetative shoots - "sultans". Blooms three times a year. We appreciate all over the world for the fragrant juicy taste of the inner part of the fruit.
Did you know? The weight of the largest pineapple grown in 1994 is 8.04 kg.
Fritz-Müller Pineapple (Ananas fritzmuelleri)
Small perennial. The stem has a diameter of 2.5 cm and grows up to half a meter. Along the edges of the green xiphoid leaves are sharp teeth. In a compact, cone-shaped infructescence, the ovaries are fused with the axis of the inflorescence and red bracts.
Brilliant pineapple (Ananas lucidus)
Almost all types of pineapple have more than one name. Brilliant is also called black pineapple for the contrast of the dark edges of its leaves with the red-orange core.
Important! It is convenient for plant growers in that it has not acquired sharp spikes.
Ugly pineapple (Ananas monstrosus)
Unlike all other species, this pineapple lacks continued growth of the main stem axis. Therefore, at the top it does not have a leafy crown.
Pineapple dwarf (Ananas nanus)
Miniature edition of pineapple. The small forms of this species are accompanied by the softness of non-spiny green leaves plants that turn red when emerging from the shade, and the edibility of a small (5 cm) pinkish pineapple fruit.
Pineapple pargvazensky (Ananas parguazensis)
A beautiful, rare, and therefore practically inaccessible type of pineapple for gardeners. Those who are accustomed not to retreat in the face of difficulties can start searching.
Pineapple Sagenaria (Ananas sagenaria)
Despite the edible sour pulp with low sugar content, it is used mainly as an ornamental plant. It has very long, up to 2 meters leaves and bright red fruits. In addition, wine made from sagenaria pineapple and rugs made from the fibers of its foliage are known.
Pineapples are native to Brazil. Pineapples are a type of bromeliad. At home, they often contain decorative pineapple. Caring for such a pineapple is quite simple. Some of the varieties of pineapples can even bear fruit, but such fruits are not suitable for human consumption. What are the features of pineapple varieties and what should be the care decorative species pineapple at home, consider in this article.
The best varieties of pineapples
Large-tufted, crested or real pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a terrestrial herbaceous plant 0.6-1 m high and up to 2 m in diameter. Gray-green narrow leaves along the edge are seated with sharp spikes. The bases of the pineapple leaves of this species fit snugly against the short stem, forming a rosette. Grooved and succulent, covered with scales, they are protected from excessive evaporation of water and are most adapted to collecting rainfall, which is rare in arid climates.
Photo: Large-tufted, crested or real pineapple (Ananas comosus)
Each pineapple plant produces one peduncle emerging from the center of the rosette, at the end of which a dense inflorescence-cob is formed, consisting of bisexual lilac flowers arranged in a spiral. Flowering pineapple of this variety lasts 1-2 weeks. After it, a compact seed is formed, the main axis of which continues to grow and forms a rosette of leaves on the crown - a green "tuft" or "sultan".
There are many varieties of pineapple of this species, differing in fruit size, shape and taste. Golden-yellow seeds of cultivars of pineapple weigh up to 2 kg, are distinguished by high taste qualities.
IN indoor floriculture Especially popular are varieties of decorative pineapple with variegated leaves, for example, "Variegatus", - a wide white border along the edge of the leaf, red flowers and small pink fruits make it very attractive. Pineapple fruits of this species are small, 10 cm, and completely tasteless, purely decorative.
The leaves, even with slight shading, do not lose their variability, and in direct sunlight they show a pink tint. The rosette shape is compact, the length of the leaves in a pot culture usually does not exceed 45 cm. A similar variety of pineapple "Ivory Coast" has leaves with smooth edges, not prickly. And the form with Striata variability has bright yellow stripes and a pink border.
Description of decorative varieties of pineapple
Pineapple striped bract (tricolor) Ananas bracteatus striatus (tricolor). This type of pineapple does not have edible fruits, but bright green leaves with stripes (pink and cream). The length of the pineapple leaves of this species reaches 50-70 centimeters.
Photo: Pineapple striped bract (tricolor) Ananas bracteatus striatus (tricolor)
Pineapple motley large-tufted Ananas comosus variegatus. This is the kind of pineapple that is edible. It is related to those pineapples that we eat, but is an ornamental type of pineapple. And its leaves are not green, as we are used to seeing, but with stripes of pink and cream color. This is a very compact type of large-tufted pineapple.
Photo: Large-tufted pineapple Ananas comosus variegatus
Brilliant pineapple (A. lucidus variegated) is called "Black pineapple". The middle of the leaf of this variety of pineapples is orange-red, contrastingly set off by the dark brown-green edge of the leaf. Has no sharp spines.
Photo: Brilliant pineapple (A. lucidus variegated)
Pineapple dwarf (A. nanus) - a miniature species with leaves up to 25 cm long. They are soft and not prickly, green in the shade and reddening in the sun. The pinkish fruit is edible, but very small, only 5 cm. Pineapple of this species tolerates slight shading.
Pineapple (A. sativus) is grown in Taiwan and the Philippines for a shiny and transparent fabric pineapple (from the English pineapple, which means pineapple). This fabric was chosen by many well-known fashion designers for its decorative effect and special strength.
Caring for ornamental pineapple species
- the temperature required for the care of ornamental pineapple varieties: in winter -15-18°C, in summer -22-25°C.
- decorative types of pineapples are photophilous. Their variegated leaves with light stripes need a bright place so that the brightness of the color does not fade. Grow well on southern, western and eastern windows.
- pineapples should be sprayed regularly, especially if the room is very warm.
- water for irrigation is needed at room temperature, it must settle. Decorative varieties of pineapple are watered into a rosette of leaves. Water should fill about 2/3 of the outlet. In summer and spring, water should always be in the outlet. You need to change the water 1-2 times a month. Also at this time (summer and spring), the plant must be fertilized 2 times a month. The fertilizer is poured into the rosette of decorative pineapple leaves, pre-diluted with irrigation water. In winter, pineapple should be carefully watered into the soil once a week.
- plants that do not bloom must be replanted after a year, and only after flowering are transplanted daughter rosettes that grow near the main plant. The soil for caring for ornamental varieties of pineapples should be specially purchased, suitable for these types of plants, or prepared independently (3 parts of soddy land and 1 part of humus with the addition of sand). For transplanting, it is good to take not a deep, but a wide bowl.
- these types of pineapples reproduce by lateral shoots and seeds. Seeds are sown in prepared loose soil. Side shoots are cut when they grow roots.
As it became known, despite the types of pineapples, they should be cared for almost the same way in order to get juicy and sweet fruits that give many useful substances and trace elements.
A pineapple(lat. Ananas, eng. Pineapple) - a genus of herbaceous tropical plants Bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae).
Pineapple is a herbaceous perennial plant with a strongly shortened stem and a dense rosette of leaves. The leaves are rigid, linear, xiphoid, 50-120 cm long and 3-6 cm wide, serrated at the edges, prickly. Mature plants can grow up to 1 meter high and up to 2 meters in diameter. A fleshy stem grows from the basal rosette of leaves, on top of which a peduncle up to 30-60 cm long is formed. The inflorescence is spike-shaped, ending at the top with a “sultan” - a rosette of small bracts. It is this fetal rosette that can be seen on pineapple fruits, which are sold in stores. The spike-shaped inflorescence has more than a hundred greenish-white or slightly purple inconspicuous flowers. Each flower is covered with a red or green bract. Flowering is long, about one month. At the beginning, flowers bloom at the bottom of the inflorescence, then - adjacent to them, and so on to the top. Infructescence formed after the fertilization of numerous flowers of the inflorescence, according to appearance resembles a large, fleshy, golden yellow pine cone. Thus, the pineapple fruit is a composite fruit, consisting of many ovaries fused with bracts and the axis of the inflorescence. The infructescence has a cylindrical, conical or ellipsoidal shape. Top covered with scales.
Pineapple comes from Brazil, and it came to Europe at the end of the 18th century. After 30 years, the British for the first time managed to get the fruits of pineapple in the greenhouse, and from that time it began to be grown everywhere in greenhouses along with grapes and oranges - as a favorite dessert of rich people. Gardening books published in the 19th century detailed how to cultivate pineapple. At the end of the 60s, trade exports of pineapples from the Azores arose, where this plant began to be grown in industrial scale, and interest in indoor breeding faded.
In the tropical regions of America: Brazil, Paraguay, Venezuela, Colombia, 8 species of pineapple grow; widely cultivated in the tropics and subtropics of both hemispheres. The leading pineapple production areas are Hawaiian and Azores, as well as the Philippines, Australia, Mexico, Brazil, Ghana, Guinea. Plantations in India expanded significantly. In Russia, pineapples can be grown in greenhouses. There are 4-6 species in greenhouse collections, 2-3 species are used in room culture.
Currently, it is cultivated - at home as a purely ornamental plant, and if a small fruit appears on it, this is an additional reward to the owner.
Kinds
Pineapple large-tufted(Ananas comosus (L.) Merr. s).
Synonym: Pineapple pineapple (Ananas ananas (L.) Voss); A. duckei (Ananas duckei hort., nom. Inval); A. sativus (Ananas sativus Schult. & Schult. f.); A. sowing diff. dukei (Ananas sativus var. duckei Camargo, nom. nud.); Pineapple bromeliad (Bromelia ananas L.); Large crested bromeliad (Bromelia comosa L.).
This is a terrestrial plant with a strongly shortened stem and a rosette of rigid linear xiphoid leaves, in adulthood it has a height of 1 m and a diameter of 2 m. The leaves are gray-green, grooved, strongly narrowed towards the top, covered entirely with scales, seated at the edges with sharp spikes. The flowers are bisexual, 8 cm long, 4 cm wide, spirally arranged in simple dense spike-shaped inflorescences, where they sit in the axils of wide cup-shaped bracts. Petals 1.2 cm long, pinkish-purple, sepals do not grow together, prickly along the edge. After the end of flowering, a compact golden-yellow fruit is formed. The main axis continues to grow, and a shortened vegetative shoot, the “sultan”, is formed at the top of the seed. Blooms in March-April, July, December; fruit maturation lasts 4.5-5 months. Originally from Brazil, found in open places, forest edges, in sparse herbage. In Europe in culture since 1650.
There is the most striking form of variegatus, which is distinguished by its smaller size and white longitudinal stripes along the edges of the leaves.
Pineapple bracts(Ananas bracteatus (Lindl.) Schult. & Schult. f.) - the most beautiful species with a bright greenish color with yellow, white stripes and curved leaves 35-70 cm long.
Pineapple pygmy(Ananas nanus (L. B. Sm.) L. B. Sm.) Synonym: A. pineapple diff. dwarf (Ananas ananassoides var. nanus L. B. Sm.). This is a new dwarf variety with 20-30 centimeter leaves.
Pineapple seed(A.savitus Schult) is practically not bred as an ornamental plant, but is often tried out of sheer curiosity. Sometimes a pineapple can be grown from the apical tuft after using the inflorescence for food, although the risk of failure is very high.
Care
illumination
Light-requiring, especially variegated forms, requires direct sunlight. In the autumn-winter period, it is desirable to highlight the pineapple plant for 8-10 hours a day at a distance of about 20 cm. It is best to use fluorescent lamps here. For one mature plant one LB-20 lamp is enough. When growing pineapple on a windowsill, it is not recommended to turn it: growth slows down. It develops quite normally with one-sided lighting. An indicator of good lighting of the plant is large standing leaves, light crimson coloring of the tips of young leaves. Those who do not have the opportunity to have plants on the sunny side can be offered to use additional lighting all year round. Only with the difference that 4-5 hours are enough for summer supplementary lighting.
Watering
In the warm season, the rosette of leaves should be constantly filled with water by 2/3. Water changes 1 time in 2 months. Make sure the soil in the pot is allowed to dry out between waterings. Water for irrigation should be soft, preferably rain, always warm.
During the main summer growing season The plant requires abundant soil moisture. When watering in the summer, make sure that the earth ball is completely saturated with moisture, but between watering it should dry out sufficiently. Water for irrigation is taken after daily settling or boiled. tap water it is best to boil and acidify to pH = 5. You can acidify water with sulfuric, citric or oxalic acid. Experience shows that despite the temperature of the soil and the surrounding air, the earth must be watered with water heated to + 30 + 35 ° C. In winter, the temperature of the soil on the windowsill drops significantly. Sometimes it reaches + 13 + 15 ° C, and pineapple slows down its growth already at a soil temperature of + 20 ° C. At this time, it is necessary to completely stop watering.
Air humidity
Needs regular spraying, especially in winter if the temperature is high. Spray pineapple twice a week in summer, once every seven days in winter.
Temperature
Dislikes standing on cold floors or windowsills. Pineapple loves warmth, especially in winter: ideal temperature for him 18-21 ° C. To get basal offspring, keep the plant in a slightly cramped pot at a temperature of 5 ° C below the specified. The maximum temperature for pineapple is 25°C. In order for the plants to develop normally at an unfavorable time, the window sill is heated and the soil temperature is maintained within + 22 + 23 ° C.
Pot
In practice, the plant develops well in any dish. For pineapple, it is better to take a low, but wide pot in diameter. This form corresponds to the characteristics of the plant: its root system is located in the upper layer of the soil and does not go deep down. Wide dishes contribute to better aeration of the soil, which is very important for this crop. It is interesting to note that in the conditions of natural growth, each pineapple plant has two tiers of roots. The first consists of thin roots and is located almost at the very surface of the soil. The second includes radially located thin roots that go deep into the soil by 1-1.2 m. Pineapple roots can also form in the axils of the leaves. Under favorable conditions, axillary roots grow strongly, reaching the soil cover. At home, the growth of pineapple and the two-tiered root system, nor the formation of axillary roots, is almost not observed. In large rooms, where the area allows, large specimens are transplanted into wide enameled tanks. The plant develops a powerful root system, so that under such conditions it is possible to obtain fruits weighing up to 1.5 kg.
Fertilizer
Throughout life, pineapple needs enhanced nutrition, especially it needs nitrogen, since this plant is herbaceous. Depending on how quickly the pineapple gains green mass and takes on the appearance of a large, mature adult plant, it is prepared for fruiting. During the active growing season, every 15 days the plant is fed with mullein infusion. The preparation of the solution is traditional. A bucket (10 l) is 1/3 filled with manure, the remaining volume is poured warm water. Within 3-5 days, the solution is periodically stirred. After the fermentation has stopped, (10-12 days) water is added to the bucket at the rate of 1:8. Other types of fertilizer can be omitted before fruiting, as slurry contains all the main nutrients and trace elements.
With proper and regular care of pineapple, it grows well in room conditions. Many hobbyists complain that pineapples grow into big, beautiful plants but don't bear fruit. It must be admitted that for fruiting at home, pineapple requires stimulation. Even in areas of natural growth of culture on plantations, plantings are sprayed several times for stimulation with a solution of naphthyl-acetic acid. However, more effective way stimulation of plants, the treatment of plantations with acetylene is recognized. The action of acetylene, in addition, contributes to the improvement of the quality of the fruit. True, experiments have shown that acetylene treatment cannot be carried out earlier than 3 months after nitrogen fertilization has been introduced into the soil.
At home, stimulation is carried out only after the plant is fully formed: the length of adult leaves is 60-70 cm, the thickness of the trunk at the base is from 6 to 10 cm. In this position, stimulation will be effective. There are several recipes. A well-established method of stimulation is based on the use of carbide. A piece of carbide (10-15 g) is dipped into a jar (1 l) of water. Immediately there is a rapid evolution of acetylene gas. When the reaction stops, an aqueous solution of acetylene remains with a slight sediment at the bottom, 20-30 ml of this solution is poured into a funnel of leaves, inside which the growth point is located. The same operation is repeated the next day, using the same prepared solution. It is possible to stimulate pineapples only in the warm season, when the plants on the windowsills do not need either additional heating of the soil or artificial illumination.
In another method of flowering stimulation, the prepared plant is covered with a large plastic bag. Under the package put a jar (0.5 l) with water. Every day a piece of carbide (5 g) is lowered into the water. At the same time, the active release of acetylene begins. It is necessary to ensure that the bag is tightly pressed to the pot and the released acetylene does not evaporate from it. The operation is repeated 3 days in a row.
Many lovers stimulate the flowering of pineapples by fumigating with smoke. However, both of the latter methods are less effective than pouring an aqueous solution of acetylene into the center of the rosette of leaves. 1.5-2 months after stimulation, a peduncle appears, emerging from the center of the plant. At this time, you should especially carefully watch the pineapple. At first, the top of the peduncle has a pale green color with a light crimson border. If you do not violate agricultural technology, then the peduncle (arrow) grows very quickly.
pruning
The plant does not need pruning; remove only damaged or dried parts of the leaves, cutting them with sharp scissors, without affecting healthy tissue. To clean the leaves, wipe the dust off them with a soft cloth, and then wipe with a sponge dipped in water at room temperature. Do not use preparations to make the leaves glossy. Pineapple is tolerant different conditions content, does not tolerate only cold drafts.
reproduction
Seeds, offspring, supracartilaginous rosette of leaves.
seeds
Pineapple seeds are small, 1.5 x 4.0 mm in size, yellow-brown, sickle-curved. They are extracted from well-ripened fruits, washed in a weak pink solution of potassium permanganate and dried in air. The substrate for sowing seeds can be leafy soil, coniferous soil, or a mixture of equal parts of peat soil and sand. In this case, the seeds are immersed in the soil to a depth of 1-2 cm, watered with settled water and covered with a transparent film or glass on top.
Sowing is placed in a very warm room (the temperature should not fall below 20 ° C). The rate of emergence of the first shoots depends on the temperature in the room. At a temperature of 20-24°C, seed germination occurs in a month and a half, at 25-27°C - after 20-25 days, and at 30-35°C, the first shoots appear after 15-20 days. Pineapple seeds germinate unfriendly, at different times. So, the germination of some seeds can take 5-7 or more months.
Seedling care comes down to regular watering and spraying. Fertilizer watering is applied twice a month with a solution of mineral fertilizers or bird droppings at the rate of 15-20 g per liter. On hot days, young plants shade from the sun.
When the leaves reach 6-7 cm, the seedlings dive into a loose substrate. It is prepared from equal parts of leaf, sod, peat, humus soil and sand with the addition of a small amount (about 5% of the total substrate volume) of charcoal. In addition, plants must be gradually accustomed to drier air, systematically opening the film cover.
offspring
Like all bromeliads, the rosette of the plant dies off after flowering and fruiting. By this time, the pineapple forms 2-3 basal offspring. They are the easiest to propagate the plant. Do not separate them from the mother plant until its leaves and inflorescence are completely dead. By this time, the shoots will have reached half the height of their “parent”. With a sharp knife, cut off the shoot, along with the roots, from the mother plant. It must have independent small roots, otherwise it will not grow. Plant the young plant in a small pot, press the soil lightly at the base, and water well. Cover the pot with a plastic bag on an arc support. Maintain the temperature at 24°C. Remove the bag daily for 5 minutes, but don't let the soil dry out. When new leaves appear in the center of the outlet, remove the bag.
How to grow a pineapple from a store-bought fruit in 4 steps?
Step 1- choose a pineapple
In any grocery store, you need to choose a ripe pineapple, the main condition is that the leaves are firm, healthy, green (not yellow or brown). The skin of the fruit itself should also be golden yellow, not green. I recommend that you buy 2 pineapples for cultivation at once - more chances.
Carefully check the base of the leaves for gray spots that indicate insect infestation - such a plant is not worth buying. Also, do not buy overripe fruits. A simple test for maturity is to gently pull back the pineapple leaf, if it easily returns to its original position, then the fruit is overripe.Step 2 - prepare the top.
Take the entire bunch of leaves in your hand. Twist it hard and it will come out with a little stem.(You can also just cut off the top with pulp, but in this case you need to make sure that all the pulp is removed from the trunk, otherwise it will rot and destroy the whole plant).
All pieces of pulp adhering to the trunk must be cleaned in order to prevent rotting after planting. After cleaning from the pulp, it is necessary to carefully cut off the bottom of the crown until the appearance of root buds (small dots or circles on the surface around the circumference of the stem).
It is necessary to cut as little as possible so as not to damage the rudiments of the roots.
Next, you need to remove a few lower leaves from the beam, exposing 2-3 cm of the trunk top.Also, at the base of the top, there may already be brown small roots. In the future, they will not grow, but they cannot be removed or damaged.
After trimming, cleaning, leave the top to dry for a couple of days before the next step. This will heal the scars on the tips of the roots and leaves and prevent rotting.Step 3 - germination of the roots of the top.
Exist various ways how to make the top take root, but the simplest and most reliable is to germinate the roots in water. It is necessary to lower 3-4 cm of the trunk into the water. A glass of water should be placed away from drafts, heaters and places with temperature changes.Water needs to be changed every 2-3 days. There is an opinion that in dishes made of dark glass or plastic, root germination is more efficient.
Step 4 - rooting the top
After the roots appear, the pineapple must be planted in fast-draining soil. fit ready mixes"Cactus" or "Bromeliads".The diameter of the pot should be the diameter of the top of the crown (about 10-15cm). Be sure to have a drainage hole in the pot.
At the bottom of the pot lay out 2-3 cm of drainage.Then we fill in the soil mixture.
Then we plant the top of the pineapple in the ground and put it in a bright place.
Watering should be moderate, the soil should always be moist, but not wet.
Full rooting will take 6 to 8 weeks. During this period, you should not speed up the process in any way, for example, fertilize.
After about 2 months, the pineapple should already be rooted and independently consume water from the soil. Make a small check: gently tilt the plant, if it resists, then new roots have already formed that hold it in the ground, if it does not resist, no roots have formed. IN last case you need to check if the plant is rotting, if rot is visible, alas, you need to start the process all over again with a new top of the fruit.
At this stage, old leaves will dry and die, and new ones will appear in the middle of the outlet. Over the next year, you need to remove dried old leaves and water no more than once a week.After a year, you need to transplant the plant into a larger pot.
Bloom
Pineapple blooms in the 3rd-4th year (when the length of the leaves reaches about 60 cm, and the diameter of the base is about 10 cm), but sometimes much later, or even does not bloom at all.
The inflorescence of pineapple is composed of more than 100 strongly fused flowers, which, when flowering, tightly pressed against each other, form a seed. Pineapple flowers are tubular, soft, change color depending on the light: from pale blue to dark crimson. Flowering lasts from 7-8 to 10-15 days, depending on the variety and growing conditions. The smell of flowers is gentle, not strong, with a typical pineapple aroma.
Subsequently, a complex fruit is formed, assembled from many hexagons. As soon as the seedlings begin to grow, nitrogen fertilizing is resumed. After some time, the fruit acquires an amber-yellow color with a typical pineapple aroma and taste. From flowering to full maturation, it takes from 4 to 7 months, depending on the varietal characteristics.
Often, the apical rosette interferes with the full growth of the seed, taking all the power for its development. Here it is usually suggested to immediately remove its growth point. It is difficult for a novice amateur to do this, since you can miss the moment of pinching. It is better to wait until flowering ends. But it is impossible to almost completely remove the growth point, because it is the only one in the plant and originates from the basal neck. So the concept of “deleting a growth point” is conditional. Thanks to pinching, the growth of the apical rosette is inhibited. Pruning the growth point must be repeated several times. It can be added that the size of the whorl also depends on the variety of pineapple.
Transfer
If the pineapple does not bloom, annually. After flowering, daughter rosettes are transplanted.
The soil mixture for the plant is prepared from sod, leafy, humus soil, sand and peat. Before the pineapple reaches maturity, it needs to be transplanted twice: the first time - three months after the separation of the basal offspring, the second time - another year later. Remember about sharp cloves on pineapple leaves and carry out all work with gloves! When preparing a new pot for a plant, take care of good drainage. When you sprinkle the roots with fresh earth, do not tamp it down too hard. Water the plant well before transplanting, after transplanting, keep the pineapple in the shade for two days, giving it the opportunity to take root properly.
