How to Grow a Pineapple

INSIDE : It is so much easier than you think to grow a pineapple plant!  See my tips growing a pineapple from an existing fruit, as well as a fun craft tutorial for painting a DIY Pineapple Pot.

Grow a pineapple

Today am sharing How to Grow a Pineapple (even if you accidentally decapitate your very very favorite plant ever – true story keep reading), which I just learned is also called an ananas plant.

Love plants like I do?  You might like some of my other Plant Care + Tip posts.

What supplies do I need to grow a Pineapple Plant?

Fresh Pineapple – Whole Fruit
Medium Sized Terra Cotta Pot
Acrylic Paint
Paint Brushes
Fresh Fruity Goodness mini sign (similar) – just for fun

How to Grow a Pineapple supplies

FRUIT BACK STORY:
I went to Ikea early this summer and bought myself a pineapple plant.  I loved that little guy and took such great care of him.  Little by little he started to grow and then I repotted him.

One morning, I was outside doing some yard work and walked by my little fruity plant.  I noticed there was a spider making a web on the top of the leaves, so I took the trowel that was in my hand and casually brushed that little spider off.  Well, tragedy hit and along with the spider being knocked off, my sweet little pineapple also tumbled to the ground.

Do Pineapples normally grow on Trees?

Surprisingly enough, pineapples do not grow on trees.  I had thought they would be like a banana tree hanging down from tall branches.  But, they grow from a big leafy plant in the ground, similar to what a yucca plant looks like.  The plant consists of stocky leaves circled around a central stem. In a healthy plant, the tapered, swordlike leaves can grow up to about 5 feet long.

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How do you grow a Pineapple Plant from a Pineapple top?

The first step requires gloves if you have a larger, more mature pineapple.  Grab securely onto the base of the leaves and with your other hand, hold tight to the fruit.  Give a few tight turns and the leaves should pull right out from the base.

If this step doesn’t work for some reason, you can always simply cut the top off from your plant.  I prefer twisting and getting a few of those baby roots with it if possible, though.

Turn the leaves upside down and pull the bottom inch or so of leaves off from the base.  You will be surprised, but about an inch or so up there are tiny little roots that have already started growing.  Once you can see those little nubs of roots, you are at a stopping point for now.

Find a sunny window sill and place your pineapple leaves in a glass of water to start growing those root systems out.  Every few days I would empty my glass and get fresh water.  It was amazing how quickly the roots grew.  My roots were about 3″ long after a week or two.

See my tips for growing a pineapple from an existing fruit.  Delineate Your Dwelling #growapineapple #pineappleplant #pineappleDIY #pineapplecraft

Once my plant was ready to be transferred from the water back into soil, I decided to paint myself a new terra cotta pot.

Using yellow acrylic paint, I painted the rim of the pot, inside and out.  Then, I took a hot pink and a citrus orange and created a simple crosshatch pattern to represent pineapples.

How to Grow a Pineapple paint steps, painted terra cotta pot

After my painted pot was dry, I added a handful of small rocks to the bottom of my pot to help with drainage.  Then I filled the pot about 2/3 of the way full with potting mix.

Next, I added the plant crown with it’s new baby roots into the pot and filled in the empty space with some additional potting soil.  Lastly, I could not help adding a cute little sign.

Baby Pineapple Plant - See my tips for growing a pineapple from an existing fruit. Delineate Your Dwelling #growapineapple #pineappleplant #pineappleDIY #pineapplecraft
Looking for more helpful tips like this for other plants? You would definitely enjoy my easy to read Happy Houseplants ebook !  Check it out today.

The cool thing about this is, you don’t have to start with an actual plant.  You can literally grow a plant from a pineapple purchased at the grocery store – how fun is that!

1 How to Grow a Pineapple

How to Grow a Pineapple from the fruit top

Yield: 1 Pineapple Plant
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Active Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Difficulty: Easy

It is so much easier than you think to grow a pineapple plant! See my tips growing a pineapple from an existing fruit

Materials

  • Pineapple Fruit - whole

Tools

  • Garden Gloves
  • Drinking Glass or Mason Jar

Instructions

  1. Starting with garden gloves, grab securely onto the base of the pineapple plant leaves and with your other hand, hold tight to the fruit. Give a few tight turns and the leaves should pull right out from the base.
  2. Turn the base of leaves upside down and pull the bottom inch or so of leaves off. You will be surprised, but about an inch or so up there are tiny little roots that have already started growing. Once you can see those little nubs of roots, you are at a stopping point for now.
  3. Find a sunny window sill and place your pineapple leaves in a glass of water to start growing those root systems out. Crafting Steps How to Grow a Pineapple steps
  4. Every few days, empty your glass and get fresh water. It is amazing how quickly the roots grew. My roots were about 3″ long after a week or two.
  5. After your plant is ready to be transplanted from the water to soil, add a handful of small rocks to the bottom of your pot to help with drainage. Then fill the pot about 2/3 of the way full with potting mix.
  6. Lastly, plant pineapple crown with it’s new baby roots into the pot and fill in the empty space with some additional potting soil.

Notes

If twisting the pineapple top off with gloves doesn’t work for some reason, you can always simply cut the top off from your plant. I prefer twisting and getting a few of those baby roots with it if possible, though.

Did you make this project?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Instagram

How to Grow a Pineapple plant, DIY craft painted pot, Delineate Your Dwelling

What kind of sun requirements do Pineapple Plants need?

I tried my plant in a few different lighting amounts : indoors with indirect light, outdoors with direct summer sun and then eventually outdoors in dappled shade.  I noticed my pineapple seemed to do best indoors with plenty of sunshine and warmth and in moderate light/shade outside.  

I did bring my plant outdoors eventually because he did not like direct summer sun.  When it got too much summer sun, he started to scorch and the fruit actually turned red in color.  You can check out my post about the Best Sunlight Levels for Indoor plants.

How long does it take a Pineapple plant to grow?

I ended up keeping my plant outdoors but in light shade, light sun.  These seemed to be the best light conditions for him.  Pineapple plants are slow growers, so don’t expect to have pineapples the first year.

How to Grow a Pineapple, Delineate Your Dwelling

What kind of care does a pineapple plant need?

From my experience, the light amount was the biggest issue of concern for my plant.  Once I found the ideal light conditions, my fruit plant was very happy.  I watered my pineapple plant about once a week, each time putting my finger into the soil about 2″ deep to see if it was dried out enough.  I never worried about fertilizing my plant.

Grow a Pineapple
Grow a Pineapple

Guys, by this time next year I just might have a pineapple plantation going in my backyard!!

Looking to gain insights, tips and methods for not only keeping your plants alive, but to have them thrive? Let’s grow green enthusiasts, one plant at a time together with my Happy Houseplants eBook!

My Happy Houseplants ebook talks about how to not kill all the plants and includes:
– A helpful checklist for the 6 steps to keep your plants alive + thriving.  
– A deep dive on 7 trending “it” plants (like your finicky Fiddle Leaf Fig!)
-5 plant printables to hang in your home.  

Buy it below.

 

Have you ever attempted to grow one??  Let me know in the comments below.

Looking for other fun Pineapple projects? You might be interested in these : 

Fun way to use Pineapple as Party Decor

Pineapple Lady, Delineateyourdwelling.com


Pineapple Pumpkin

Easy DIY Pineapple Pumpkin, Delineate Your Dwelling


Pineapple Washi Tape Print

Pineapple-Print coral, peach and orange

You might also be interested in some of my mother Plant Care posts:

Pilea Care and Best Tips

Pilea Care and Best Tips


Marimo Moss Ball Care Tips

Marimo Moss Balls, Care Tips, Light Needs

Air Plant Care

Air Plant tips

12 Comments

  1. Do you do an email newsletter? I would like to be added to your list!

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      I do, you can join here! 😉

  2. Candace Connor says:

    Thank you for inspiring me to attempt to grow my own pineapples. I would love to send you some inspiring photos of growing pineapples. Thank you, Amy.

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      I think growing Pineapples is just the neatest thing! Definitely send me pictures of yours. 😉

  3. Charlotte Frederick says:

    Your baby pineapple looks ripe, and has a full top, so it likely would not have gotten any bigger. The first pineapple a plant produces is usually small. I’ve been growing pineapples here at my home in Florida, for quite a few years. I’m no expert, but I do love being able to grow them, and I’ve learned along the way. Also, be patient, they don’t produce every year.

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      Great advice, Charlotte! Thank you for those tips. And I love that you’ve been growing pineapples at your home!

  4. So cute, love your painted pot! We actually did grow a pineapple in our yard when we lived in Florida. If I’m remembering correctly, it took about a year to get fruit. Sadly, we left it on the plant too long and when we finally harvested it…it was mostly rotten…aargh!! Now that we’re in a warm climate again (south TX), i will try again. Good luck with yours!

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      AH! That’s so amazing you had a real plant in your yard!! Well, after my little guy was chopped off, I cut him open and gave him a try. It actually tasted like a real pineapple, such fun!

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      Hahahahah… doesn’t it sound so bad to have decapitated and baby in the same sentence! I kept thinking maybe I should change the way I was phrasing it, but it adds to the pineapple drama. 😉

  5. I am right now in my patio! The leaves are getting quite big since it came from a full-size pineapple from the grocery!

    1. delineateyourdwelling says:

      Oh my goodness, how cool!!! I’m so excited to see mine growing again!

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