There are many things that we should know in life that we just don’t. One of those things is how pineapples are grown. Picture it right now if you can. Is the pineapple hanging from a pineapple tree? Are the green shoots of the pineapple sticking out of the earth waiting to be dug out? Or does a stork deliver baby pineapples in the dead of night for the mother pineapple to raise until they are ripe to be eaten? Read on to find out about the miracle of pineapples.
First of all, pineapple is a fruit. This generally means that it comes from a tree, although berries are fruits and they don’t really come from trees. Watermelons don’t grow from trees either. Whether a pineapple comes from a tree really comes down to your definition of a tree. From our perspective though a pineapple comes from a plant. To grow a pineapple is actually pretty easy.
If you live in a tropical climate you can simply cut off the top portion of your pineapple and plant it in the garden. It will take around four years for this plant to start to flower but when it does a single pineapple will come from the top. If you harvest that pineapple it will be replaced by another pineapple around a year later. That is a lot of hassle to get a pineapple. If you don’t live in a tropical climate you can follow the same process by planting pineapple in a pot in your home and ensuring it gets plenty of sunlight.
Pineapples originated in South America and Africa. The term pineapple actually came about because they looked like a pine cone and were sweet like an apple. Pineapples were actually brought to Europe in the 17th century and were highly valued by the wealthy class at the time. To have a pineapple meant that you were truly living a luxurious lifestyle. They were incredibly expensive. When Captain Cook brought the pineapple to Hawaii it started to become more available and widespread across America. From there it started to lose its luxury appeal.
If you decide that growing pineapples is too much work for you then today you can buy them for much less than they cost in the 1600s. When buying a pineapple it is important to make sure that the pineapple you are buying is plump and firm. Look for any blemishes on the skin and ensure that the leaves look fresh and green. This will ensure you are bringing home a good pineapple.
The watermelon grows in a similar way to the grape. Although not growing on a tree either, both grow on a vine. The watermelon actually has over 1000 varieties and originates from West Africa. Of course, the watermelon is a little heavier than the grape so the watermelon doesn’t hang from the vines it simply sits on the floor. A healthy watermelon plant will produce between two and four watermelons. This means they certainly generate a better return than the measly one-for-one pineapple plant.
While these fruits don’t really play by the rules the one that causes the greatest debate is the tomato. While many think of it as a vegetable it is technically a fruit because it contains seeds and how it flowers. However, in 1893 the US Supreme court ruled that the tomato was actually a vegetable because of its culinary applications. While this should have solved the debate it has only caused it to rage on for another 150 years. Now it is a legal vegetable that acts as a fruit but tastes like a vegetable but we all know it is really a fruit. At least we solved the pineapple mystery.
