Characteristics, care, pests and diseases of the pineapple plant

pineapple is a tropical fruit

The pineapple, that delicious fruit that is normally eaten during the summer and fall, sprouts from the wonderful pineapple plant, which is scientifically known as "Pineapple comosus".

This plant consists of a terrestrial bromeliad native to South America, which forms a rosette of lanceolate, leathery leaves, which is approximately 1m long. Its flowers, of a beautiful color between pink and reddish, turn out to be a true wonder, since they are grouped in spike-shaped inflorescences, which are kept open for a month in order to be pollinated.

the fruit of the pineapple begins to ripen giving rise to a berry

After being pollinated, the fruit begins to ripen giving rise to a berry, which when fully grown reaches between 7-10cm in width and around 30 cm in length. Inside the fruit is the pulp, which is yellow in color, has a sweet and slightly acidic flavor and has a quite pleasant aroma.

Characteristics of the Pineapple Plant

Pineapple it is a plant of tropical origin, from South America, which apart from being small, is perennial, herbaceous and lively, in addition to having a base formed through the compact association of several leaves that create a rosette.

This plant has two types of roots, the first are the adventitious roots, which are short and very superficial, since most of them grow at the base of the stem about 15cm from the ground; the second are the main roots and they are a little longer, reaching depths of approximately 60cm and even more.

In addition, the pineapple plant has a short, fleshy stem, in which the nutrients produced by the leaves are stored.

This plant has leaves that reach between 50-150cm in length, which are resistant, lanceolate, fibrous, have the shape of a sword, are enveloping and are arranged in a spiral around the stemFurthermore, they have finely toothed edges which, depending on the variety, may or may not have spines.

It is possible that the color of its leaves is a grayish green both light and dark, however, there are some varieties that have colored leaves, which have a mixture of purple, red, silver and / or yellow. Likewise, the face, as well as the back of the leaves, are lined with a thin layer of silver fluff that does not allow sunlight to pass through and they also have a thick cuticle that prevents it from losing moisture.

As time goes by its short flower stalk lengthens and widens and around it sprout a large number of purplish and small flowers, all of which contain a single bract, which may be green, red, or yellow in color, in which new flowers sprout.

The stem of the pineapple plant continues to grow and develops a circle of stiff and short leaves on top of the floral set and all the flowers of this are hermaphroditic, so they turn out to be self-fertilizing and although the time of flowering is uncertainVegetable hormones are used commercially with the purpose of promoting not only flowering, but also the sprouting of their fruits.

Pineapple Plant Care

Caring for the pineapple plant is not usually an easy job, since being a tropical plant, It is convenient that its growth takes place in a place with a warm climate and where there is no frost, since otherwise, it is possible that it suffers significant damage when winter arrives.

some varieties of the plant have colored leaves

For this reason and when having a pineapple plant it is necessary to follow the following cares:

Your location

The pineapple plant should be outside, specifically in a semi-shady place.

Land

The soil must have a optimal drainage, in addition to having a low pH (4,5-5,5).

Fertilizer

In the course of spring and summer, it is necessary to fertilize the soil every 15 days where the plant is using fertilizers that have a high content of potassium and nitrogen.

Irrigation

Must be watered whenever the ground is dry, which is usually about every 2-3 days during the summer and about every 5-6 days for the remainder of the year.

Time to plant and / or transplant

The most convenient time to plant or transplant the pineapple plant is usually in spring.

Plantation frame

At least 30x60cm.

Harvest

The harvest of the fruits is done after 15 months of having planted it.

Rusticity

It is a plant really sensitive to cold weather, whose ideal minimum temperature consists of 15ºC, although it is capable of withstanding 5ºC for a short period of time.

pests and diseases of the pineapple plant

Among the pests and diseases of the pineapple plant are:

Mites, scales and nematodes

The pineapple plant mite, also known as "Red spider", It usually feeds on the base of the leaves of the fruit of this plant.

It is a quite troublesome pest in long dry spells, since they could be transferred to the stems, which would prevent the pineapples from reproducing and although the spider mite is not a really important pest, it is very convenient to treat it in time to avoid future problems. Likewise, there are several classes of nematodes which affect this plant, damaging its roots by causing a knot and its decomposition.

Beetles and mealybugs

It is very likely that sap beetles become a big problem for those who have pineapple plants, since they are usually attracted by those plants that have a disease known as "gummosis", which occurs when a wounded plant begins to expel a gummy substance.

For its part, the beetles penetrate the young fruits to lay their eggs there. Likewise, mealy bugs feed on the base of the leaves of this plant causing it to wilt and in the same way, they can cause the root to rot, which in turn, reduces the production of fruits.

Bud breakdown

It is a frequent disease, which occurs because of a fungus and it occurs during periods of growth acceleration of these plants.

Normally, the most frequent symptoms are a foliage that turns yellowish and in some cases it reaches necrosis and later to total decomposition. In addition, the fruit can suffer decomposition and its stem exhibits a halo around the point where the leaves sprout. Apart from this, the root becomes tender and falls off when trying to extract the plant.

Tamale leaf

It is a bacterium, which directly attacks the fastest growing peak. It usually occurs during periods of climatic changes where there are high temperatures. It affects both the foliage and the stem, causing a slight discoloration in both, and it is also possible that the fruits accumulate ammonia inside their pulp.

Fusarium

It's a world-wide spread fungus, which arises as a result of great humidity and root problems.


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