Pineapple from the top: what each stage takes
| Stage | What to do | How long (source) |
|---|---|---|
| Prepare the crown | Trim away flesh, remove a few of the lowest leaves, let it dry | Several days (Iowa State); a day or two (RHS, UF/IFAS) |
| Root it | Perlite, vermiculite or coarse sand, moist but not wet, bright indirect light | 6 to 8 weeks (Iowa State) |
| Grow it large | Light, well-drained mix, warmth, bright light, regular feeding | About 14 to 18 months to maturity (UF/IFAS) |
| Induce flowering | Ripe apple slices in the center of the plant, or a cool spell | 5 to 7 months to fruit after induction (UF/IFAS) |
Twist the crown off a supermarket pineapple, trim it, let it dry for a few days, root it in a gritty medium and pot it up once it has roots. That part takes about two months. Fruit takes far longer: UF/IFAS gives 18 to 24 months from planting to harvest, and the RHS lists 2 to 5 years to maturity. On a cool windowsill, plan for the long end.
So this is a good-looking bromeliad you may get a pineapple from, not a quick fruit crop. If you like that kind of kitchen-scrap project, an avocado grown from a pit is a different story: it is a foliage plant first and fruit is a long shot.
Prepare the crown
Twist the leafy top off the fruit, or cut it about an inch below the leaves. Iowa State Extension says to trim away the outer portion of the fruit, leaving the tough, stringy core attached to the leaves, and to remove a few of the lowest leaves. The drying period lets the moist core tissue dry out and discourages rotting.
Then let it dry. Iowa State says several days; the RHS and UF/IFAS say a day or two. Either way the cut end should look dry and sealed before it touches anything damp. UF/IFAS notes that bigger planting material grows faster and fruits sooner, so a sturdy crown with a full set of healthy leaves is a better start than a weak one.
Root it
The RHS roots a crown in a barely moist mix of peat-free material and sand, in indirect light at 21 C (70 F). Iowa State uses perlite, vermiculite or coarse sand, pushed in up to the base of the leaves, kept moist but not wet. Rooting should take 6 to 8 weeks.
Keep the medium damp, not soggy. UF/IFAS says pineapple does not tolerate excessively or continuously wet soil, and that wet conditions raise the risk of root rot.
Pot it up
Move the rooted crown into a light, well-drained potting mix. Iowa State then says to hold it in bright indirect light for 2 to 3 weeks before moving it to a sunny window, and to keep the mix moist with regular watering. If you need a mix, see best potting mix for potted herbs for what well-drained looks like in a container.
Choose a pot with drainage holes. UF/IFAS puts a fruiting plant in a 3 to 7 gallon (11 to 26 liter) container and says small containers restrict plant size and fruit size, so a starter pot is only the first stop. The pot drainage holes guide covers what to do if a pot you like has none.
Keep it warm and bright
UF/IFAS gives the best growing range as 68 to 86 F (20 to 30 C), says growth may slow below 60 F (15.5 C) and above 90 F (32 C), and says pineapple does not tolerate freezing below 28 F (-2 C). It wants full sun. The RHS says full light and no draughts, and watering freely while the plant is growing but keeping it only barely moist at other times.
Iowa State suggests feeding once or twice a month in spring and summer, with a dilute fertilizer. The plant can go outside in late May but must be back indoors before the first fall frost. In a cool climate that means a long indoor winter; the indoor winter checklist covers the move. If your window is dim, grow lights for fruiting plants explains what a fruiting crop needs.
Check the undersides of the leaves now and then. UF/IFAS lists mealybugs and scales as the usual pests, and the RHS also flags scale insects.
How long until fruit
| Source | Time given |
|---|---|
| UF/IFAS (Florida home landscape) | 18 to 24 months planting to harvest |
| UF/IFAS (subtropical climates) | 18 to 36 months planting to harvest |
| UF/IFAS | Mature after about 14 to 18 months, then 5 to 7 months from flower induction to harvest |
| RHS | 2 to 5 years to maturity |
Those are Florida and UK numbers for plants with good light and warmth. A pineapple on a dim, cool sill will be slower than those figures. Plan on two to three years and be pleased if it comes sooner.
Getting it to flower
UF/IFAS says a pineapple is ready to flower once it has produced 70 to 80 leaves, and that the larger the plant is when it flowers, the larger the potential fruit. So do not rush. Grow it vigorously first.
Pineapples flower in response to short days, cool weather and dry conditions. That cuts both ways. UF/IFAS warns that cool temperatures can trigger flowering before a large plant size is reached, giving small fruit, and advises covering plants or bringing containers indoors when it is set to drop to 60 F (15 C) or below.
When the plant is mature, UF/IFAS says you can induce flowering by placing ripe apple slices in the center of the plant. As they ripen they release ethylene, which stimulates flowering. UF/IFAS does not recommend calcium carbide, because some sources may contain impurities that are toxic to humans and contaminate the potting medium and water.
From induction, UF/IFAS gives 5 to 7 months to harvest. It says to pick when 1/3 to 2/3 or more of the peel has turned from green to light green or greenish yellow. A plant can give one fruit, then a second from a sucker, and UF/IFAS says each plant may produce up to two.
If it does not fruit
That is a possible outcome, and still a decent houseplant: the RHS lists a mature size of 0.5 to 1 m (about 1.5 to 3 ft) in height and spread, so give it room. If you want fruit sooner from a pot, a grafted dwarf citrus is a more realistic bet.
Sources
Other fruit from the kitchen and the windowsill
Another scrap-grown fruit, a citrus you can buy grafted, and the pot and light details that matter indoors.
Common questions
How do you grow a pineapple from the top?
Twist the crown off, trim away the fruit flesh and remove a few of the lowest leaves, then let it dry for several days (Iowa State Extension). Set it into perlite, vermiculite or coarse sand up to the base of the leaves, keep that medium moist but not wet in bright indirect light, and expect roots in 6 to 8 weeks. Then pot it into a light, well-drained mix.
How long does it take to grow a pineapple from a top?
UF/IFAS gives 18 to 24 months from planting to harvest, and 18 to 36 months in subtropical climates. The plant matures after about 14 to 18 months, then flowers, and 5 to 7 months after flowering is induced the fruit is ready. The RHS lists 2 to 5 years to maturity. A cool windowsill will be at the slow end of those ranges or beyond them.
How do you make a pineapple plant fruit?
Wait until it is a large, mature plant with 70 to 80 leaves, then UF/IFAS says you can place ripe apple slices in the center of the plant. As the apple ripens it releases ethylene, which stimulates flowering. Cool temperatures and drought also trigger flowering, but too early they produce small fruit. UF/IFAS advises against calcium carbide.
How big a pot does a pineapple need?
UF/IFAS recommends a container of 3 to 7 gallons (11 to 26 liters) with drainage holes for a fruiting plant, and notes that small containers restrict plant size and fruit size. A young plant can start in a much smaller pot and be moved up as it grows.
Related guides
How to grow an avocado from a pit, and what to expect from it
Toothpicks or soil, how long it takes to sprout, and how to keep a leggy seedling bushy. Also the part most guides skip: why the fruit rarely comes.
Bringing potted plants indoors for winter: what to move and what to leave
Not every pot deserves a spot on the windowsill. Here is how to decide what comes in, clear the pests, and get the plants through the light drop.
Do pots need drainage holes, and how to add one safely
A pot with no drainage hole is not a design quirk you can water around. Here is why that matters, how to drill one safely by material, and how to use a hole-less pot the right way instead.