I think few people, even plant people, can say that they know what a pineapple flower really looks like. I happened upon this plant in the tropical greenhouse where I work at the U.S. National Arboretum. It's a pineapple in full flower. The flowers are all packed together in what will become the pineapple fruit that we eat. Like many bromeliads, they are a lovely shade of blue and don't open their petals any wider than this. And because it is a monocot, there are three petals.
This is a plant that Bradley Evans, our Introduction Garden horticulturist, uses in his stunning container gardens. I'm not sure what the cultivar name is, but it might be 'Mongo'. It least it has dark reddish brown leaves like 'Mongo'. It's undemanding and can take a lot of heat, drought, and general abuse.
Someday, I'll have to try again to grow pineapples. Any advice?
ReplyDeleteDon't try to grow it in a pot that's too large. They don't have a huge root system, and they need full sun and a bit of fertilizer during the summer, and high humidity. Best to keep it outdoors over the summer if you have the humidity needed.
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