Just wanted to give you a quick update on the baby pineapple’s progress. It’s Day 25, and I am blown away by how quickly she’s growing. Yes, I said she. I have decided our first baby pineapple should be classified as a female, since she has the potential to spawn 2 more pineapples after this one, as well as additional plants from the shoots that will be emerging soon. Her name, therefore, shall be La Piña Saparot, a combination of names suggested by readers Toffee Marshmallows from the United Kingdom and Patricia DeWit from Thailand. The name may be redundant, since both words mean “pineapple”, but as the mother of my future pineapple farm, she deserves a name so nice you say it twice.
Click on the photo for a close up, then hit the “back” arrow to return to the post.
This week, the stalk supporting her is growing taller, and the “buds” for future shoots are starting to bulge from the stalk. There are three of them, and according to the Hawaiian Ag Site, we will need to cut some of them away in order to promote the growth of a second pineapple fruit (known as a ratoon). The good news is that those shoots, called suckers, can be planted to create new pineapple plants. The biggest news of the week is the flowers that are starting to bloom from the base of the pineapple. A few rows of these purple/blue flowers should gradually bloom over the next 2 weeks. Once they die back, the fruit begins to flourish and eventually ripen. I can’t wait to see how she progresses!
On a separate note, we thoroughly enjoyed the pineapple I received from the kids on Mother’s Day. You know… the one I used to punk readers into thinking the baby was fully grown? Well, I made sweet & sour chicken for dinner last night with big chunks of my Mother’s Day pineapple, and it was delicious. The good news, however, is that we planted the top and started a new pineapple plant. One’s a novelty, but two’s a farm. I think I will call this one Spike.
Inside NanaBread's Head 
Well, well, well, she’s a fast growing little girl!! If you plant a couple of the ‘suckers’ you will definetly have your own pineapple farm!!
Yeah, someone in our family may be getting a pineapple plant for our “outdoors” themed Christmas gift exchange this year!
That’ll work – you don’t have my name!!! ;)
Ouch! I’ll have to check my list to see whose name I have. Hope they like to garden and love to eat pineapple. If not, I may have to start an “Adopt a Pineapple” campaign. Which, by the way, may include a stringent interview process and a possible a home visit.
Uhhh, I’m not very good with accents and languages so I think I’ll just call it “The Pineapple Pineapple” if you don’t mind. My thoughts reading this post are this: how are you ever going to eat your sweet little pineapple? Maybe you could shellac it and keep it forever? ;)
I love the sentiment, Kandi, but I don’t think it’s physically possible to varnish a pineapple for posterity’s sake. Freeze dry, maybe, but then who knows where to find someone to freeze dry a pineapple as a keepsake? Jonah Bear has already asked if we can make a pineapple upside-down cake with it this summer, so I’m thinking a cake the grandkids will love might be a noble death. But we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it. And you can call her Pina for short. That’s PEEN-yuh.
What fun–thanks for sharing. And just think of the family that Pina and Spike will produce as your farm! I, too, wondered how you would eat the little sweeties–but “let them eat cake!” sounds like a plan. Besides, my sister used to raise calves for eventual food–the kids adjusted well, naming the “pets” things like “T-Bone” or “Burger.” I will await the next update!
Love your sister’s cow names – T-Bone & Burger. Very funny (unless you’re the cow). Maybe we should start naming our pineapple offspring the same way – Chutney, Upsidedown, Colada, SweetnSour, Daquiri.
I have never tried to grow a pineapple before. I don’t know anything about gardening so forgive me for asking… but do you just cut off the head and plant it? Or do you have to soak it in water before you plant it? I probably could Google it to find my answer, but I’m being lazy today. Sweet and Sour Chicken sounds amazing… I think you may need to post that recipe! :)
The answer is yes, you just cut the head off and plant it. I cut about 1″ down from the crown (leaves on the top), then I cut down around the crown at a 45 degree angle so there’s a blunt edge around the remaining pulp. Then we just put it in a pot full of moisture retentive potting soil and water it each day until it roots. I keep mine in pots on my back porch so they get full sun and I can bring them in when temperatures dip below 40F, since they’re tropical plants. When it does get cold, we move them into our garage and wrap them in blankets until it’s warm enough to put them back outside. Since we’re in Houston, they never spend more than 10 days in the garage. All they really need is sun, water and a little conversation. Okay, maybe just sun and water… but I like to talk to them anyway.
Awww! Your little baby is growing up! How about Upsidedown-Colada-Salsa? Those are my favorite pineapple dishes. ;)
Speaking of pina coladas, I bought the stuff to make a recipe I found on Tasty Kitchen. It’s for a non-alcoholic version using pineapple sherbet, but that won’t stop me from adding rum. Can’t wait to see how they turn out.
Yes, yes and YES!
Spike is the perfect name for pineapple dos and he is DEFINITELY a he.
I love the to-scale comparisons…she is growing, guns blazing and all of that!
She’s getting so big!
You are one lucky pineapple mama!
You should see her now. Her “crown” is blooming on top of her head. It’s amazing.