Are Pineapple Tree Or Bush? [Confusion Solved]

Unlike any other large fruit tree, Pineapple plants only grow 3-6 feet tall, a virtue of their bush-like growth habit.

So, let’s delve more in-depth into the true nature of Pineapple plants from the article below. 

Do Pineapples Grow On Trees?

Pineapples (Ananas comosus) are tropical evergreen perennial fruiting shrubs with bush-like growth habits and short lifespans, hailing from the family Bromeliaceae.

In fact, Pineapples are the only bromeliads that produce edible fruits.

Unlike other fruits, Pineapples don’t grow in tall trees and fruit atop a flowering stalk or peduncle that grows centrally from a basal, tightly organized leafy rosette.

The leaves layer themselves alternately on a fibrous central stem, close to each other.

Further, a single Pineapple fruit is actually a fusion of 100-200 blooms identical in structure to that of a standard bromeliad flower. 

Also, Pineapples have a unique growth habit, completing its lifecycle in 3 different phases.

Most fruit trees, such as apples, oranges, peaches, and pomegranates, are polycarpic (producing fruits throughout life).

However, Pineapples are monocarpic (fruiting only once in their life) and take about 10 months-3 years to develop and fruit.

How To Grow A Pineapple?

Pineapples are suitable for growing outdoors from the USDA zones 10-12 as they require a reasonable amount of sunlight, temperature, soil, watering care, and humidity.

You can also grow Pineapples in sizeable containers where they will bear fruit and die off within 2-3 years.

But, in outdoor conditions, Pineapples can live for about 7 years and yield fruits 1-3 times throughout their lifespan. 

Regardless, there are 3 different ways to grow a Pineapple bush, and each method takes different periods for a Pineapple plant to mature.

1. Crowns

Time taken for growth & harvest: 1.5-2 years

Steps to Grow

• Take a fruit with healthy fruit with yellow to greenish-yellow peel.
• Cut off its top leafy part with a sterilized knife horizontally and let it dry for a week.
• Immerse the exposed end an inch below the rooting hormone solution.
• Allow dappled sunlight for 3 weeks to support root growth and change water every 3 days.
• Plant about 3-4 inches deep in well-draining soil when the roots are 2-3 inches long.

2. Seeds

Time taken for growth & harvest: 2-3 years

Steps to Grow

• Collect the blackish-brown seeds from the Pineapple flesh.
• Place the seeds in a paper towel to dry them for several weeks.
• Soak the seeds in warm water (77°F) for 8 hours.
• Wrap the seeds in a moist paper towel and place them inside a ziplock bag.
• Place the seeds over a heating mat at 70-77°F.
• Transfer the seeds to moist, porous soil within 1-6 months post-germination.

3. Suckers 

Time taken for growth & harvest: 1.5-2 years

Steps to Grow

• Twist the suckers growing around the mother plant.
• Remove the lower leaves from the suckers to expose the cut ends.
• Dry them in the air for a week to prevent infections.
• Place them about 2 inches inside a porous potting mix.
• Water to keep the soil moist until new growth emerges.