Grow Your Own Pineapple Plant

Have you ever wondered what to do with those spiky pineapple tops once you cut them off your fruit? With a little luck, they can be rooted and grown into your very own pineapple plant. Unless you have a greenhouse or high-intensity lighting, your pineapple plant will probably never produce any fruit, but they are fun to grow anyway. The spiky foliage and blue-green color is an unusual addition to any houseplant collection.

Buy the freshest looking pineapple you can find. If the leaves are already dry and withered, you probably won't be successful. After cutting the top off of your pineapple, remove any remaining fruit connected to the top. Peel away several layer of leaves from the cut-end of the pineapple top until you have about a quarter inch of “stem” showing. You may already be able to see tiny stubby roots growing off of the stem (they were hidden between the leaves). Allow the cut-end to dry out for a couple days. You then have two options: 1) place the stem in a vase of water until roots form, then plant in soil, or 2) plant directly into soil.  I'm not sold one which way is the best (I've had them die both ways). Be prepared to try this a few times before you get one that survives.