Table of Contents
- Pineapple Plant Care Facts
- Indoor Pineapple Plant Care
- How To Propagate an Indoor Pineapple Plant
- Indoor Pineapple Plant Care – The Wrap-up
- FAQ
If you want to pretend you are on the tropical island of Kauai or Oahu while sitting in your living room, the best way to do that is to sit with a frozen drink while overlooking your indoor pineapple plant. Yes, you read that right! You can grow pineapples inside your own home, and this article will have all you need to know about indoor pineapple care.
Pineapple Plant Care Facts
Native to South American countries like Argentina, Paraguay, and Brazil, the pineapple plant, whose botanical name is ananas comosus, requires lots of sunlight and water due to the plant originating from the tropics. It is widely believed that Christopher Columbus and his voyagers were some of the first Europeans ever to try pineapples and that he is responsible for bringing the pineapple to Europe.
The pineapple plant is a bromeliad, which means the nutrients can come from the leaves. Some bromeliad plants can even grow on rocks or trees. Bromeliads are unique because each plant will only produce one fruit during its lifetime. After the plant produces its fruit, it will die. However, you can still grow more pineapples from the dying plant. Pineapples are the fruit that is generated from the pineapple plant.
Pineapple plants are recognizable because of their big, bright green, swordlike leaves. The pineapple plant indoors can grow as tall as five feet and as wide as four feet. Make sure you have plenty of space for your indoor pineapple plant to grow. A corner area in direct sunlight with nothing around it is a great place for indoor pineapple plants.
Pineapple plants do not need a lot of water, and the soil should always be allowed to dry out before watering. The immature fruit of the pineapple plant can potentially be dangerous and toxic if consumed by household pets. Bright light is the best way to get your indoor pineapple plant to grow flowers and fruit. Pineapple plants also need moderate to high humidity and temperatures to hover between 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Indoor Pineapple Plant Care
Because the pineapple plant is becoming so popular, it only makes sense that more people want to know how to care for one. Since the pineapple plant is used to being in warm, humid, and tropical areas, you would think taking care of an indoor pineapple plant would be a daunting task but, it is quite the opposite. Indoor pineapple plant care is easy as long as you care for the plant in the right way. Follow the steps below to learn how to care for your indoor pineapple plant.
Light
The pineapple plant is a plant that originated in the tropics of South America in an area between Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay. The indoor pineapple plant should be in bright, direct sunlight for at least eight hours daily. Your indoor pineapple plant also should remain in a south-facing room to guarantee the most sunlight. If you struggle with natural lighting indoors, you can add an artificial grow light on a timer to make up for the deficit of natural lighting.
If you notice the edge of the leaves turning brown and brittle, it could be because it is dehydrated or is in harsh sunlight. First, cut the brown and brittle edges off the plant until you reach the healthy green part. Afterward, test the soil of the plant. If the soil is damp, then the issue is the sunlight. Move the indoor pineapple plant to an area with less direct sunlight for a few days. If you feel the soil is too dry, go ahead and water your indoor pineapple plant generously.
Water for Your Indoor Pineapple Plant
Because it comes from the tropics, indoor pineapple plants require lots of moisture and water. Water your indoor pineapple plant regularly to ensure optimal conditions for flowers and fruit growth. This plant is unique because you can use the leaf blades as a funnel when watering, which helps distribute the water throughout the plant. By doing this, you are impersonating the natural watering process of the tropical rainforest.
Occasionally mist your indoor pineapple plant with water to ensure that it is staying humid. Try to mimic a natural tropical area as much as possible. Beware of overwatering! Test the soil before watering, and if the soil feels moist to the touch, it is doing well on moisture, and there is no reason to add more water yet.
Temperature
For the best results with your indoor pineapple plant, the room temperature should stay between 65 and 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Your indoor pineapple plant will not endure freezing temperatures, which is anything below 32 degrees Fahrenheit. Keeping them away from windows and doorways is a must in the cooler months to prevent the plant from becoming shocked by cold temps.
Temperatures below 60 degrees Fahrenheit and above 90 degrees Fahrenheit will slow down the growth of the plant. If you decide to bring your indoor pineapple plant outdoors during the summer months, bring it back inside at the end of august to avoid the cool, late summer evenings that will stunt growth and potentially kill your pineapple plant.
Also, when an indoor pineapple plant is outside, be careful to monitor harsh sunlight. Even though the pineapple plant does well in bright light, the hot afternoon summer sun can burn the edges of the plant’s leaves. If that happens, use clippers to cut the burnt edges off until you reach the bright green part of the plant.
Potting Mix for Your Indoor Pineapple Plant
You want to use a well-draining and lightweight potting mix for your indoor pineapple plant care. You can buy the potting mix from your local garden center or make a homemade indoor potting mix. Combine peat moss, perlite, sand, wood chips, compost, rocks, and vermiculite. Perlite is essential to any potting mix that you are using for pineapple plants because of its draining properties. If you are buying premade potting mix from your local garden center, pick up a package of perlite and add it to the prepacked potting soil to aid in drainage and water retention to your indoor pineapple plant.
How To Propagate an Indoor Pineapple Plant
Indoor pineapple plants are becoming more popular now than ever. To grow fruit, a pineapple plant has to be at least two years old. It is also possible to produce a brand new indoor pineapple plant from the crown of the fruit of the previous plant. This neat trick also works well with pineapples brought from grocery stores.
Follow the list below to find out the best ways to propagate and care for your indoor pineapple plant.
- Use a twisting motion to separate the top half of the fruit from the bottom. If the fruit is ripe, it is yours to eat.
- Expose the stalk by removing some of the leaves.
- Plant the top half of the pineapple into a container with indoor potting mix and perlite.
- Place your propagated indoor pineapple plant in a south-facing, bright, warm room of your home.
- Within a month, you should see some positive growth of your indoor pineapple plant!
Indoor Pineapple Plant Care – The Wrap-up
Indoor pineapple plant care is simple if you have the necessary elements to allow them to thrive. Number one required element is a warm, bright area in your home to place the pineapple plant in. Water your pineapple plant regularly to ensure it stays healthy and grows appropriately. Be careful of overwatering and underwatering the pineapple plant because too much and too little water can cause damage. To keep your indoor pineapple plant happy for the long haul, frequently spitz it with water from a misting bottle or add a humidifier to the room. If you take good care of your indoor pineapple plant, you will have a beautiful, fun, and conversational plant to add to the decor of your home.
FAQ
A pineapple plant can be found at your local garden center, Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, or a local nursery.
Unfortunately, yes, pineapple plants will begin dying after producing fruit. Have no fear, though; you can use the fruit from your indoor pineapple plant to propagate a new one each blooming season! The dying plant will begin growing small baby pineapples that can be used for propagating new plants.
When looking for containers for indoor pineapple plants, look for a five-gallon-sized container. Before buying your five-gallon-sized pot, make sure the pot is well-draining or at least has the proper drainage holes in the bottom. Although some of the more decorative plants on the market do not have a good drainage system, you can remedy this by taking a drill bit and drilling holes into the underside.
Keep your soil well-drained as mealybugs thrive in moist conditions. If you find mealybugs on the leaves of your indoor pineapple plant, wash them off gently using warm pesticide-free soap and water and repot your plant in fresh potting mix.
Various pests are common to the pineapple plant, but the most common are mealybugs and scale insects. Mealybugs are small, white insects that love to suck out sweet sap from different plants.
