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21.02.2013
What do we know about pineapples? This is a fruit, it is delicious, it grows in the tropics on palm trees, and is sold in jars. If you cut off the top, a new pineapple will grow from it.
Here's how they grow:
When I saw this photo, I immediately thought about Photoshop :) Well, that’s how tightly the stereotype pineapple = palm tree is stuck in my brain!
Pineapples, like bananas in general, do not grow on palm trees. Moreover, pineapples do not even grow on a tree! The pineapple plant is herbaceous and does not grow above one and a half meters. Grass.
They grow on the ground, much like cabbage. Only unlike cabbage, pineapple is a perennial plant. It has sharp long leaves, and the fruits grow from the central part, on a stalk.
A pineapple fruit is a cluster of small fruits (infructescence), each of which is formed from its own flower, but which grow together to form a whole pineapple. That's why the outside of the pineapple is so cellular. Sometimes you can see small side shoots on the arrow. Pineapple flowers are pollinated mainly by hummingbirds. The flowers pollinated by them produce seeds, and the pineapple fruit comes out useless. What we eat are the fruits of self-pollinated flowers that do not produce seeds.
The homeland of pineapple is Paraguay and southern Brazil, but O Most pineapples are now grown in Southeast Asia. Pineapples can grow in arid areas because, due to the specific method of CAM photosynthesis, the pineapple plant loses little moisture through evaporation from the surface of the leaves (carbon dioxide is stored in cell vacuoles at night, and is used for photosynthesis during the day, so that it is absorbed during the day through open stomata not required). In addition, pineapple absorbs rain moisture that accumulates in the axils of the leaves.
Pineapples reproduce in several ways:
- Seeds. They are located immediately under the peel, in segments that look like apple seeds, only smaller.
- Side shoots. They need to be cut off as soon as roots grow from them.
— The top of a pineapple, the so-called palm. The main thing is that it looks whole, especially its center. You need to stick it into the ground and wait until it takes root (about a month).
You can even grow pineapples at home. Now you have an idea of how to grow pineapple, and you can try it at home. For example, in the third way.
Of course, the pineapple plantation itself is not attractive. An ordinary field, with some small exotic herbaceous plants, no more than a meter high. And if you don’t look closely, you can simply pass by without noticing anything. Growing a pineapple takes a lot of work. Thailand, for example, is the world leader in the export of pineapples; this is actually the economic sector of production of this state.
By the way, did anyone else besides me think that pineapples grow on trees? 🙂
This exotic fruit can be grown here, right in your room. To do this, you need to cut off a rosette of leaves from the top of the fruit. They cut it off at the very base of the fruit - without pulp. Then the rosette is washed in a pink solution of potassium permanganate, the cut is sprinkled with ash and allowed to dry for 5 - 6 hours. This cutting is planted in a pot with a capacity of no more than 0.6 liters. Drainage is placed at the bottom of the pot, and a loose earthen mixture is poured, consisting of turf soil, leaf humus, sand and peat in a ratio of 1:2:1:1. A mixture of leaf humus and sand in a 1:1 ratio is added on top with a 3 cm layer. In the center of the pot, make a hole 2 - 2.5 cm deep, with a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the rosette. A little crushed charcoal is placed in it so that the tip of the rosette does not rot. 2-4 sticks are placed along the edges of the pot, and a rosette is attached to them with ropes.
The soil should be moistened, a transparent plastic bag should be put on the pot and placed in a bright place. The rosette takes root at a temperature of 25 - 27 ° C. In winter, a board is placed on the battery and a pot with a cutting is placed on it. After 1.5 - 2 months, roots will form and new leaves will begin to grow.
The plastic bag is removed only 2 months after the plant takes root. In an adult pineapple, lateral shoots may appear from the base of the stem. They are rooted in the same way as a rosette.
Pineapples are usually replanted annually, slightly increasing the capacity of the pot. The root collar is buried 0.5 cm. Replanted only by transshipment, without destroying the clod of earth. The composition of the substrate is the same as during rooting.
When growing pineapple, temperature is important. In summer, the temperature should be 28 - 30°C, although pineapple grows well at 25°C. In winter it is kept at 22 - 24 ° C. The plant is placed not on the windowsill, but by the window on a table or a special flower stand. You can place the pot on the radiator by placing a board under it. In winter, the plant must be illuminated with a fluorescent lamp.
Water the pineapple with settled rain or melt water. You can use simple settled or boiled water, acidifying it with citric or oxalic acid to pH 5 - 6. The acidity of the water is checked with universal indicator litmus paper. Water for irrigation is heated to 30°C. Water is also poured into the outlet, but the soil is not excessively waterlogged. Pineapple also needs frequent spraying with warm water.
Every 10 - 15 days the plant is fed with liquid complex mineral fertilizers, as well as a carefully strained infusion of horse or cow manure. Be sure to spray the pineapple 1-2 times a month and water it with an acidified solution of iron sulfate at the rate of 1 g per 1 liter of water. The solution is poured into the outlet. The plant does not tolerate alkaline fertilizers, such as wood ash and lime.
With proper care, the pineapple will begin to bear fruit within 3-4 years. Usually at this age the length of its leaves reaches 80 - 90 cm. Mature fruits weigh from 300 g to 1 kg.
An adult pineapple can be made to bloom and bear fruit by fumigating it with smoke. To do this, place a thick plastic bag on the plant next to the pot for 10 minutes. put in a few smoking coals. The procedure is repeated 2 - 3 times with an interval of 7 - 10 days.
Pineapple has a positive effect on the functioning of the pancreas, it will help with thrombosis and edema - just eat half a pineapple daily or drink 250 milliliters of pineapple juice to soon get rid of these problems.
In addition, pineapple is an excellent remedy for combating calluses. At night, you need to apply pineapple pulp to the callus, and in the morning, steam the skin in hot water, and the callus will be easily removed. Pineapple can also help those who constantly feel sick at sea and in the air - before a flight or trip on a ship, you should drink a glass of pineapple juice.
Pineapple is also good for the skin. For example, oily skin can be wiped with its pulp every evening. And, of course, you shouldn’t forget about pineapples if you want to stay slim for a long time. As for calories, there are only forty-six in one hundred grams of pineapple. So you can eat pineapple at least three times a day without worrying about your figure. It is useful to have a weekly fasting “pineapple” day.
And if you treat yourself to a few slices of pineapple for dessert every day, your metabolism in the body will significantly improve. In addition, in this case, pineapples will also cleanse the blood and serve as a stimulant for the immune system.
In addition to all of the above, consumption of pineapple as food, according to some scientists, is also a prevention of cancer.
Sources
http://fruitarian.ru/kak-rastut-ananasy
http://gingertea.ru/pineapple-grow/
http://www.c-cafe.ru/words/190/18948.php
But not everyone knows where this fruit grows and how long it takes. How pineapple grows - you will learn all the most interesting things about this exotic delicacy from this article!
Where do pineapples grow: places of growth
Initially, such herbaceous plants grew only in the south of Brazil and Paraguay. These two places are considered the birthplace of the exotic fruit, but today it is cultivated in many southern countries.
Where do pineapples grow today?
- About 30% of the world's production of this fruit is concentrated in the Hawaiian Islands.
- Pineapple plantations can also be found in Costa Rica
- In the Philippines and Thailand, pineapples are grown not only for food consumption, but also for making spinning fiber from their leaves.
- Pineapples continue to be grown in Brazil, and these plantations can be found along the entire southeast coast of Asia.
Thus, the places where pineapples grow are warm, exotic countries. The fact is that in order for the fruit to plump, it needs a sufficient amount of sunlight. In countries where summer lasts 2-3 months a year, it is impossible to grow pineapple.
How and on what do pineapples grow?
The large-tufted pineapple belongs to the Bromiliaceae family. The plant grows as a shrub with large sharp leaves, the height of which rarely exceeds 90 cm. In the middle there is a long stem with a peduncle. After several dozen flowers have been pollinated, they will produce small berries. When filled with juice, such berries close together, resulting in a common fruit. That is why the pineapple itself looks like a large cone made up of several dozen small ones.
We have found out what pineapples grow on in nature, now we will find out how these plants reproduce. This happens in several ways:
- seeds, which are located immediately under the peel and look like apple seeds;
- side shoots, which experts rush to cut off as soon as their roots begin to grow;
- the tops of the plant, the so-called “palm”, which should be planted in the ground, in a deep hole.
I wonder how homemade pineapple grows and is it possible? If the temperature conditions allow, then you can get the fruits by planting a seed or purchased top of a plant, after tying a bag around the top of the pot. Cellophane will create a vacuum effect, and comfortable thermal conditions will help the pineapple grow quickly, producing a harvest.
How long does a pineapple grow: stages of fruit ripening
Growing pineapple is a labor-intensive and complex process, sometimes taking more than a year. A seed that has fallen into the ground is ready for flowering only after 12-15 months. All this time, the pineapple is creating a leaf rosette. A year later, a lilac-colored inflorescence appears in the middle of the plant. Subsequently, the flowers disappear, and in their place small berries appear, which grow together almost immediately. The final ripening of the fruit takes approximately 3-6 months. Thus, full maturity may take 15 to 20 months.
On a plantation, this period is slightly reduced, since plants are grown not with seeds, but by planting the top of the plant - the “palm”. Such a pineapple can begin to bloom within 6 months, which means the fruit ripening period will be reduced by almost half!
The labor-intensive process of growing pineapple is good because the plant itself is perennial: it can bear fruit for several seasons, growing in one place. However, having learned the answer to the question of how long a real pineapple grows, many gardeners abandon the idea of growing an exotic fruit on a windowsill.
The most unusual information about an exotic fruit:
- To activate pineapple flowering, acetylene gas is used on plantations. How does a pineapple grow under such conditions? Under its influence, the substance begins to appear inflorescences, and the fruits themselves lose their seeds.
- In the Hawaiian Islands, special caps are put on pineapple plants. This is to prevent native hummingbirds from pollinating the flowers naturally.
- The pineapple is depicted on the coat of arms of Jamaica, as well as the state of Antigua and Barbuda.
- The optimal temperature for growing fruit is 24-30 C. With a lower or higher value, the fruits begin to ripen more slowly, and the temperature factor can also affect the taste.
- The fruit is very popular among those people who want to lose weight, as it contains bromelain. This substance is an enzyme that breaks down fats.
Interesting and reliable facts about pineapples do not end there, because such amazing plants are a source of vitamins B, A, C. The pulp also contains iron, calcium, zinc, iodine and potassium.
The popularity of pineapple is growing every year, which also affects the increase in the number of plantations. , how the pineapple grows and amateur gardeners are trying to get the fruits of an exotic fruit with great taste in their garden plots. Indeed, back in 1519, one of the participants in Magellan’s expedition in 1519 said that pineapple is “truly the most delicious fruit that can be found on Earth”!
Many people are still convinced that pineapples grow on palm trees, like coconuts, for example. And imagine people’s surprise when they find out that pineapples actually grow on the ground, and not on a tree or a bush. It turns out that pineapple is a perennial terrestrial herbaceous tropical plant that grows as a small bush, has spiny leaves and bears fruit on a long trunk. The peculiarity of pineapple leaves is not only that they are prickly like a cactus, but also that they have special water-storing tissue cells in which moisture accumulates during rains, and this allows the pineapple to survive during dry periods. The way pineapples grow can be compared to white cabbage. Both plants are small bushes with leaves, in the center of which a fruit forms. Therefore, some people mistakenly believe that pineapples are related to cabbage. But in fact, pineapples belong to the bromeliad family, and this is the only edible species from this family.
Now a little about how pineapple blooms. The peduncle grows from the growth point of the leaves and reaches a length of 60 cm. It is completely covered with flowers of both sexes, making the pineapple a self-pollinating plant. Pineapple blooms on average for two weeks, with a maximum of 20 days. At the end of the flowering period, the pineapple forms a very powerful fruit, from which the fruit subsequently begins to develop. At the top of each fruit grows a palm or tuft, the same type as the bush itself, only smaller in size. To grow a new fruit, this top is cut off and planted. But pineapples are not always self-pollinating. There are also subspecies that have only female or only male flowers, and then they are pollinated by bees and other insects. In this case, seeds are formed in the fruits. They are located immediately under the skin, in the places of the so-called “eyes”. This is an analogue of potato “eyes”, which are scientifically called axillary buds. Externally, pineapple seeds resemble apple seeds, only they are smaller in size. This is the second way to propagate pineapples. From these small seeds a new pineapple can grow. And self-pollinating varieties of pineapples do not have seeds, and they can reproduce only with the help of a tuft.
The birthplace of pineapple is considered to be South America, namely the south of Brazil and Paraguay. This plant prefers a tropical climate and can grow even during periods of severe drought due to the properties of the cells from the leaves that store moisture, as mentioned above. Pineapples grow in tropical countries. They are most grown in the Philippines, Thailand, Hawaii, Brazil, Australia, Mexico, Guinea and India. But pineapple can also be grown in Russia if you create the necessary conditions in greenhouses that are close to natural. In countries with tropical and subtropical climates, pineapples are grown on huge plantations, planting only the best varieties, but in nature the pineapple grows alone, and only a few specimens can be found. Also, pineapple in nature comes only in wild varieties, which are less sweet, firmer even when fully ripe, and small in size. Wild pineapple is never large, as is found in many tropical countries. Large pineapples were bred by humans. Wild pineapple does not require any special care; it grows like a weed, but the taste is far from the good pineapples that humans have worked to cultivate.
It’s hard to believe, but just a century and a half ago, food on the table served as one of the signs of the high wealth of the owners of the house. Moreover, it was often bought for just this purpose - to emphasize the highest rank of reception and was used over and over again to decorate the table until it completely rotted and migrated to the cesspool. Today, pineapples have lost their status as a “delicacy for the elite.” And although you can buy this fruit in any supermarket at any time of the day or night, not everyone knows how pineapples grow in nature.
Do pineapples grow on palm trees?
In children's cartoons and books, you can often see palm trees bending under the weight of pineapples and banana bunches. That is why, many living to a fairly advanced age, they are confident that pineapples and bananas grow in nature only on palm trees. But in both cases, such a visual sequence remains entirely on the conscience of the cartoonist’s overly wild imagination. In fact, both pineapples and bananas are the fruits of herbaceous plants that grow on the ground.
In what climate do pineapples grow?
In order for pineapples to grow, develop, bloom and bear fruit normally, they need the environment to be warm and damp. Nature generously provided them with such conditions in the tropics. Initially, pineapples were found only in tropical forests, where they were part of the diet of local residents. In addition to the fruit itself, Brazilian natives found use for other parts of the pineapple, for example, they used the leaves to obtain strong fibers. Over time, this plant migrated from Brazilian forests to other tropics. Today, pineapples are grown with great success in Argentina, Cuba, Hawaii, Guinea, Mexico and Australia, and this is only a small fraction of the countries where this process is on stream. Moreover, in greenhouses and conservatories, pineapples can be grown in almost any corner of the globe.
How do pineapples grow in nature?
The familiar large, juicy fruits, so similar to giant cones, are unlikely to be found in natural conditions. Wild pineapples, unlike their cultivated relatives, are more than modest in size and are practically invisible. Their weight rarely exceeds 1 kg, and their taste is only vaguely reminiscent of the usual exotic delicacy. Otherwise, pineapples grow exactly the same both in the wild and on plantations. These are herbaceous plants with a powerful basal rosette of leaves, in the middle of which, under favorable conditions, a peduncle with a paniculate inflorescence is formed. The color of the flowers in the inflorescence can vary from bright red to dark purple. Each of the flowers eventually forms a berry, which grow together and form the familiar fruit - pineapple. In addition to varietal characteristics, the taste of each berry and the fruit as a whole is also affected by whether the flower has been pollinated or not. According to experts, the seed formed as a result of pollination of a flower significantly impairs the quality of the fruit. Therefore, one of the most important operations in the industrial cultivation of pineapples is protecting them from pollinators. Various covers are used, put directly on the fruits, repellers, etc.
How to grow pineapple at home?
If possible difficulties do not frighten you, but only provoke you, then it would not hurt to find out how pineapple grows at home. To get this exotic beauty, you don’t have to break your legs in search of seeds; you just need to buy a pineapple you like at the nearest store. You need to cut off the top, remove excess leaves, dry the cut and only then place it in a container with water for germination. After the roots appear, the seedling can be planted in a pot with light nutritious soil. With proper care, within two to three years after planting, you can serve pineapple from your own windowsill.
Pineapple is a fairly common tropical fruit; everyone knows what its fruit looks like and what it tastes like. However, how pineapple grows remains unknown to many. Let's find out what kind of unusual plant this is, from a botany point of view.
Pineapple is a tropical perennial herbaceous plant. When mature and in open ground, pineapple can reach 1.5 meters in height, depending on the variety. The plant has a short, mundane stem with tough leaves and looks more like a shrub than a grass.
In the first year after planting pineapple is actively growing, its trunk thickens and acquires several dozen closely intertwined leaves. Pineapple leaves grow narrow, fleshy, with sharp spines along the edges, reaching a length of 70 cm. Pineapple easily survives dry periods, thanks to its leaves, which are able to accumulate and retain large amounts of liquid.
After about 12 months of active growth, the pineapple produces a spike-shaped inflorescence with many flowers from the top. Pineapple flowers are usually bisexual and their color varies from purple to red, depending on the plant variety. Each flower develops into a berry. Pineapple berries grow and fill with juice, closing together and forming the fruit that we are used to seeing on store shelves. There are some similarities with how the pomegranate grows, the fruits of which are also a collection of berries.
If pollination of a pineapple flower occurs, a small seed is formed in the berry. The presence of seeds in pineapple fruits negatively affects their edibility and, of course, cost. People involved in the industrial cultivation of pineapples are trying in every possible way to get rid of the plant's pollinators.
After the first fruit ripens, the pineapple produces lateral shoots from the leaf axils. When cultivating pineapples, these shoots are most often used for vegetative propagation. After removing the side shoots, the main plant will bloom and bear fruit again after some time. After the second harvest, the pineapples are uprooted and new ones are planted in their place.
In addition to the mentioned side shoots, when decoratively growing pineapples, their seeds or the top of the fruit are often used. The top of a mature pineapple fruit is a kind of crown of leaf primordia and is essentially a young pineapple ready, under certain conditions, to grow into a new plant.
