Pineapple

Pineapple (Ananas comosus)

    The fruit of the pineapple looks like a giant pine cone. It is native to northern South America. It still grows wild in Brazil. Hawaii leads in the production of this fruit. The fruit may weigh from one to eighteen pounds. Its tough fruit wall is such a protection that it can be shipped to many countries without damage.

    The pineapple is a tropical biennial in the monocotyledon group of flowering plants. The leaves, having very sharp points on the sides, form a rosette around a three-foot stem. The bloom is a bunch of small tightly packed flowers. This is topped by more leaves. The fruit that develops from this flower head is classified as multiple, having many ovaries and receptacles fused together. Since the pineapple fruit is usually seedless the plant must be propagated by other means. This is done by planting slips, suckers or the top cluster of leaves.

    Besides using this plant's fruit, man also makes textile products from piña cloth woven from the white, strong, fibers found in the leaves.