Like citrus fruits, pineapple is sweet, juicy, tangy, full of vitamin C, and grown in tropical climates, but the similarities end there. It’s easy to wonder if a pineapple is a citrus fruit since they both have sweet, acidic flavors and are often paired in dishes. These two types of fruit couldn’t be more different, botanically speaking. A side-by-side comparison makes it pretty clear. Unlike oranges, lemons, limes, and other citrus fruits, pineapples do not grow on trees. They are bromeliads, a family of plants that grow in soil, typically have stiff, brightly colored leaves, and sometimes produce flowers or fruit. Read on to learn more about these tropical plants.
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What Is a Pineapple?
Bromeliads range from delicate Spanish moss (yes, the stuff that hangs from oak trees all over the South), to alien-looking tillandsia (air plants), to guzmania, a spiky-leaved perennial with flowers that bloom in vibrant shades of pink, yellow, and red. The pineapple (Ananas comosus) is the only type of bromeliad that produces edible fruit.
There are many varieties of pineapple plants, all have long spiky foliage and a bud in the center of the leaves that flowers, then matures into a single fruit. It takes 14 to 18 months for the pineapple to fully ripen so that it can be harvested.
How to Grow Pineapples
Pineapples contain little black or dark brown seeds inside the fruit. You’ll find them close to the skin. But unlike other types of fruit, like citrus, they aren’t typically grown from seed. The best and easiest way to grow a pineapple is to cut off the leafy green top (called the crown) and plant it. Before you do that, it’s a good idea to let the crown dry out for a few days to prevent the cut end from rotting. Once it has dried out a bit, you can place the crown in a cup of water and let the roots grow before you transplant it to soil. Change the water every few days, and transplant to a pot when the roots are 2 to 3 inches long. Or you can place the crown directly in soil either in a container or in the ground. You can grow them indoors in pots or outdoors in summer after the last frost.
How to Enjoy Pineapple
Even though pineapple isn’t a citrus fruit, they complement each other well. Some recipes rely on both fruits for big flavor. Enjoy their juices in a fruity Alabama Yellowhammer Cocktail. Combine them in Ambrosia Trifle for a special occasion. Serve them together in a simple dish like Five Golden Rings Fruit Salad to showcase their colors and flavors.
