Although most people think of Hawaii when they think of pineapples, the fruit actually developed in the Caribbean and Central America. Pineapples are a bromeliad that is distantly related to Spanish moss. Pineapples are used in tropical areas of Florida, California and southern Texas as a landscaping plant, where they produce a whorl of leaves that may span as much as 6 feet in diameter. When a pineapple reaches maturity, it produces a fruiting cluster of flowers on a stem. If your plant has not yet produced a new pineapple, you can force it to produce fruit.
Leave a potted pineapple outdoors as fall approaches. Cooler weather and shorter days naturally induce the fruiting cycle in a pineapple plant.
Purchase calcium carbide tablets in a hobby or craft store.
Drop 4 tablets in a glass of ice water and allow it to dissolve.
Pour the solution into the center of the pineapple rosette once the solution stops bubbling.
Add fresh solution one week later.
Place a large freezer bag over your pineapple plant.
Slip an apple into the bag with your plant.
Place the potted plant in the shade for three to four days.
Remove the bag, retrieve the apple and move the plant back into the sunlight. The ethylene gas released by the apple should induce the plant to flower, though according to horticulturalists from Texas A&M University Extension, it will take "a few months" for the flower to appear.
About this Author
Tracy S. Morris has been a freelance writer since 2000. She has published two novels and numerous online articles. Her work has appeared in national magazines and newspapers, including "Ferrets," "CatFancy," "Lexington Herald Leader" and "The Tulsa World."