Spiny White Flesh Pineapple - Ananas comosus - 4 pack unrooted slips/suckers

Of the handful of pineapple varieties we have grown, this variety checks a lot of boxes for being an excellent type to add to your collection, and due to its prolific setting of crown slips and ratoon suckers, its easy to get a whole pineapple patch going in just a few seasons. 

This pineapple variety make a white fleshed soft core lower acid fruit of excellent flavor, tasting like pineapple candy. The leaves are spiny the entire length, which makes working with them a job requiring long sleeves, this can be beneficial as it deters critters from stealing fruit. After fruiting, which is about a year to 18 months from planting, will produce many crown slips (pups or baby plants from where the fruit was attached) as well as many ratoon suckers (from the bottom of the old plant). The root system of the old plant after fruiting can also be removed and planted horizontally and many more slips/suckers will grow off, this can be done in a shady spot and after a few years a few old root systems set aside in the shade can be your own factories and can be planted out elsewhere. The crown can also be planted but takes much longer to fruit than other methods. 

The prolific vegetative growth of this variety does have one downside- occasionally fruits will grow misshapen if not fertilized in the warmer months, being bromeliads they have limited ability to uptake nutrients from the soil so we prefer amending lightly with compost to help with moisture retention and mulch at planting to discourage grass and weeds growing in the patch and utilizing a balanced organic foliar fertilization regularly in the warmer months. Those far down south or on the coast with calcerous soil may find adding a micronutrient blend to their foliar sprays helpful a few times a year. Pineapples are also a good candidate for container growing for those with limited space or in apartments or townhouses. Although full sun is preferred, pineapples can definitely fruit in almost complete shade but will take longer to fruit. 

In your order you will receive 4 unrooted slips or suckers ready to plant upon arrival- the easiest way we have found to plant is to to amend your soil in ground or container, lightly compact the soil and make a small divot in the soil to securely place the root end of the slip in, do not bury too deep as rotting may occur. we pierce a couple of the lower leaves across from each other on the slip with bamboo skewers to basically staple the slip upright to the ground until roots form. The skewers will naturally degrade as the plant grows and can be left in place. 

*Note: due to variety confusion we are no longer listing a specific variety for this type but it's the same one we've been offering the last few years.