Pineapples, known for their tough, spiky skin and sweet, yellow flesh, are a good source of vitamin C and manganese. They are enjoyed fresh, canned, or cooked in various dishes. But have you ever wondered how those juicy fruits end up on your plate? The journey is much longer than most people realise. Content creator, fisherman and photographer Mike Loughran took us through the fascinating process. Pointing towards a wild pineapple plant in an Instagram video, he said, “Did you know it takes 18 months to three years for one pineapple to grow? Think about that. You go to the grocery store all the time, and you see hundreds of pineapples. It takes years and years for one to grow from seed to fruit.”
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Mike then continued explaining the pineapple plant's structure, including its jagged leaves, which have special qualities that help protect the fruit as it grows. “What's also cool, I love pineapple, and so do many animals, because it's so sweet. And if you were a sweet fruit and it took you that long to grow, you would want to protect yourself. That is why pineapple plants are extremely sharp and jaded. It helps protect the fruit from different animals and predators like myself or other animals,” he shared. The content creator also expressed his amusement as he pointed out that the leaves of the pineapple plant are identical to those on the top of the fruit.
But did you know that pineapple plants generally have a “nested structure” or “self-similarity”, where a smaller part resembles the larger whole? Excitedly talking about his discovery, he said, “It's just a bigger version. So, a cool way to think of it is that this is a giant pineapple underground, and coming out of the top of a giant pineapple is a small pineapple. That's pretty much exactly how it is. A really cool find today.”
He further explained in his caption, “I bet you didn't know that a pineapple plant takes this long to grow and it looks like this! I just learned this recently, too…the plant's main stalk dies after it produces only ONE fruit! So every time we eat a pineapple, odds are it came from one plant that took 18-24 months to grow that fruit… now you know!”
Watch the video here:
The video has already amazed food lovers around the world.
An avid pineapple lover mentioned, “Oh, this is cool. I eat a lot every year, and it's the first time I know it's growing like this.”
A person asked, “So what does the one in the ground look like?” Mike replied, “Similar to the one above ground, a giant pineapple-shaped root with the sharp leaves coming off the top and out of the ground.”
Someone who has seemingly been planting pineapples for years wrote, “Yeah, I have gotten 4 pineapples in 15 years from 20+ plants.”
“Yes, you are right, it takes a long time to get one fruit. Fun to watch it develop and grow, though,” read a comment.
“Yup, my mom has been growing them since I was little. Such a long wait for one of the best fruits. It's worth it!” shared another.
"After cutting the crown, snip a few leaves from the bottom, then plant it in the soil. Alternatively, you can soak it in water until roots start to emerge, then transfer it to soil,” said a planter.
Meanwhile, a social media user wondered, “Wait, don't they genetically modify them to grow faster tho?” Mike responded, “I'm sure they do in some places.”
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What are your thoughts on this process? Let us know in the comments below!