Decorative pineapple in the house can add beauty and exoticism to any interior. Therefore, if you want to diversify the situation, grow this plant at home. This specimen will delight the eye throughout the year and will decorate any room, and if you take care of it, it will delight you with small decorative fruits a few years after planting.
Botanical reference about the plant
This is the only bromeliad plant that is edible. It is also widely used in home floriculture and has been successfully grown by many people at home. And all thanks to the spectacular appearance of the plant.
This genus of plants was first described by a European botanist back in 1735. The birthplace of the green bush is Colombia, Paraguay, Venezuela, Brazil.
The genus combines 8 different species found in natural conditionsand successfully grown in greenhouses, and some of them even migrated to the home windowsill.
Only two of the entire pineapple variety are suitable for growing indoors. These are the crested pineapple (Ananas comosus) and the flowering pineapple (Ananas bracteatus). In nature, these plants grow up to 100 cm in height and reach 200 cm in diameter.
Home grown plants don't reach that size. With good care and optimal climate, they grow up to a maximum of 70 cm.
Rules for the care of indoor pineapple
Following simple rules, it is quite possible to grow a decorative pineapple at home, and don't let the tropical pedigree scare you. It is enough to remember what the main care is, and focus on the details. Using simple recommendations, it is easier to monitor the condition of the plant than being in the dark.
Temperature conditions
This is a thermophilic plant, so the room where it is grown should be warm, and the temperature throughout the year should not fall below 16 ° C. The optimal temperature for the normal course of the life cycle, characterized by stability at any time of the year, is 22-25 °C.
Lights in the room
Pineapples are very light-loving, so it is best to keep them in a well-lit place, such as a windowsill. In the autumn-winter period, flower growers recommend organizing additional lighting in the form of artificial light (fluorescent lamps). The backlight should last up to 8-10hours.
Irrigation system
In the summer, decorative pineapple needs active and plentiful watering. At the same time, keep in mind that the next portion of water is applied only when the soil is dry after the previous watering. To do this, use warm water (30-35 ° C), settled for at least one day.
From the last weeks of autumn to the end of winter, reduce the frequency of watering. At this time, the plant needs water the least and is content with small portions of moisture, which is enough for the normal development of an ornamental pineapple (in the photo below you can see what such a plant looks like).
In warm weather, in addition to traditional watering, turn on spraying, conducting it regularly, and do not forget about a warm shower.
Transplant mix
The plant is planted in an acidic soil mixture (pH 4.0-5.0) and loose soil. A suitable blend contains:
- humus;
- turf land;
- coarse sand;
- chopped peat.
All ingredients are mixed together in a ratio of 2:3:1:3, respectively. The substrate must be loose and water permeable. For planting pineapple, it is better to take a wide and low pot, because the root system is not deeply developed and is concentrated at the soil surface.
Remember that a pineapple transplant is necessary only in case of emergency, namely when the root system no longer fits in a pot. It is undesirable to disturb the plant without a visible need.
Pineapple fertilizer
Pineapple Comprehensive Care Systemin a pot also includes the application of fertilizers, without which almost no he althy living indoor plant can do. Enough 1-2 dressings per week. For this, a nitrogen-containing complex is better suited, which is easy to find in a specialized garden center or use a mullein infusion.
Pruning and crown shaping
The plant takes shape on its own, so pruning is not a prerequisite. The only thing you should not forget about is the removal of dried or damaged leaves. At the same time, try not to affect he althy tissue. To do this, use special, neatly pointed garden shears.
Flowering and fruiting of ornamental pineapple
An inflorescence of many flowers is formed on one peduncle. The flowering process takes place over 1.5-2 weeks, until the inflorescence begins to form seedlings, over which an apical rosette is formed, which is periodically pinched, as the rosette slows down the development of the fetus.
The flowering period lasts from May to July, but sometimes there is an atypical flowering starting from December. Only adult plants that have reached the age of 3-4 years enter this period.
Reproduction is quite compact and looks like a cone. Mini-pineapple ripens after 3-5 months and during this time it acquires an amber-yellow color. Although this process is individual.
Homemade pineapple fruits reach a weight of 0.5-1 kg and even tasteoutperform store-bought ones. A shortened shoot is formed on top of the fruit, which is also called a sultan. It looks very impressive and attractive and will certainly fit into any modern interior.
The flowering process can be stimulated by taking good care of the ornamental pineapple early. A bag filled with ripe apples is placed in a pot with a plant, which release a gas (ethylene) that helps to accelerate the growth process.
Methods for propagating pineapple at home
Propagate home decorative pineapple by rooting the top of a ripe fruit or by separating the rosettes. During transplantation, they act as follows: carefully cut out the top (sultan) and, after waiting until it dries a little, plant it for rooting. This process will be faster (2-4 weeks) if the container with the rooting sample is placed in a warm room. In addition, ornamental pineapple care includes regular moisturizing.
Some experts recommend covering a young plant with a special cap on top, using a glass jar or a regular plastic bag.
Some Pests, Diseases and Growing Problems
If you don't know how to proceed in case of any problem related to the violation of the life cycle of a home-grown ornamental pineapple, check out these simple recommendations:
- Tips dry outleaves - critically low humidity. The plant is moisture-loving, therefore, observing such signs, take care of humidifying the air in the room.
- Formation of mold on the walls of the pot and the plant itself. This happens due to excessive abundant watering in the winter season. In this case, the mold is removed by wiping the surfaces with a napkin, and watering is made more scarce.
- Small bright spots on the leaves indicate that the plant is affected by pests - false shields. For prevention, the leaves of the plant are wiped with a weak solution of potassium permanganate.
- Root rot occurs when the pineapple is uncomfortable and the climate is too wet and cold for it. In this case, experts recommend removing the lower part of the trunk to he althy tissues, and rooting the rest to breed a new plant specimen.
- Slow growth of pineapple is observed when the plant is in a cool room (while the soil temperature should also not be high). To restore the growth of the plant, put it in a warm place and water only with warm water.
Decorative pineapple in a pot is extremely rarely infected with harmful insects, which characterizes the bush as an exotic species resistant to insect pests.
What are the benefits of pineapple?
The benefits of pineapple are that due to its properties, digestion improves, pineapple juice is truly called a natural vitamin stimulant, and the compounds contained in it help cleanse the body of toxins.
Scientists are still debating whether pineapple belongs to fruits or vegetables. But this is not so important, because this fruit, resembling a cone in appearance, is so tasty and attractive that, just by looking at it, you forget about the disagreements and disputes that it causes.
Now you know what kind of home care a decorative pineapple needs, and you will figure out exactly how to provide the plant with comfortable conditions for stay and development. Keep the plant in comfortable conditions - and you will grow not just an ornamental plant on your windowsill, but you will also be able to see how flowering and fruit formation proceed.
Subject to the useful information given in the article, the cultivation of exotic ornamental plants becomes possible at home. The decorative pineapple, which is easy to care for, will become a real decoration of the house.
