Question
Mr. Creed,
I read an article by you online regarding a pineapple house plant. In the article you refer to a "pup".
I recently received a pineapple plant as a gift. There is a small pineapple already growing on the plant. Is this small pineapple the pup  you refer to in your article?
There is very little info on the card included with the plant. I'm curious to know if I can leave it in the container, approximately 10inches, will the small pineapple be edible and is this plant dyeing as indicated in your article.
Any info would be genuinely appreciated.
Kind regards,
Kimberly Gren

Answer
Hi Kimberly,

The "pup" found on various Bromeliad species, including Pineapple, refers to the baby plants or offsets that emerge at the base of the main plant. Because the main plant very slowly dies back over the course of a year or two, it produces these baby plants as a way of perpetuating the species. By the time the main plant is  mostly dead, there are usually two or more baby plants that have matured to the size of the main plant.

The Pineapple is actually part of the flower structure. The ones that are sold as potted plants are usually hybrids that rarely get as large as pineapples we find at the fruit store. It is edible, but it probably is not very tasty. It is best left alone as an ornamental plant.

The pot that yours came in as quite large enough and there is no good reason to consider repotting it, now or in the future.

Provide lots of direct indoor sunlight and water the soil as soon as the top quarter of the soil feels dry.

I have written an article on Bromeliad and Pineapple care that I will email for free to you (or anyone else) who emails a request to me at [email protected].

Please let me know if any of this is unclear or if you have any additional questions.

If this information has been helpful, please click the Rate Volunteer bar below and enter a rating and nomination for me. I am a volunteer on this site so Ratings are the only compensation I receive for answering plant questions.

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Regards,
Will Creed, Interior Landscaper
Horticultural Help, NYC

Visit my website at: A link to HorticulturalHelp.com




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