Pineapple is a tropical fruit that is known and loved throughout the world today. Today, the fragrant cone has become the second symbol of the New Year along with tangerines. But flower growers also pay attention to its other features, namely, exceptional decorativeness and elegance. And since there was a demand for a plant that would resemble the appearance of an overseas fruit, offers also appeared. Meet the pineapple flower.
general description
Perhaps for someone this is still a revelation, but cones with fragrant flesh are not growing on a palm tree at all. Pineapple flower grows on the ground, and it is planted by whole plantations. This plant belongs to the bromeliad family. This is an unusual and very interesting houseplant. And variegated varieties look completely cheerful. Pineapple flower forms inflorescences, which consist of a dozen flowers. If you want to get a fruit, then you need to save it on the plant. But it is worth noting that at home the plant blooms not too often. In this case, the height of the plant can reach 70 cm.
Pineapple room care
This plant is very fond of sunlight. Most varieties can tolerate even direct sunlight. But even a light partial shade will be disastrous for them. Pineapple flower loves to grow at a temperature of +22 ... +25 degrees. In the autumn and winter, the plant does not have enough light, so you need to install lamps for illumination.
Watering is required moderate at high humidity. And not the other way around. Homemade pineapple flowers should be kept clean. Therefore, get a spray gun and spray the plants several times every day. This will ensure normal air humidity and clean leaves.
The plant is quite large, but you do not need a deep pot. The fact is that his root system is superficial. Therefore, it is best to choose a wide and stable pot. It is very important to fill it with a porous substrate, which easily passes water. Do not forget to regularly top up in the summer. It is best to purchase both substrate and fertilizer in a specialized store. Periodically, preventive pruning will be required and dry leaves should be removed.
Planting and flowering
Many dream of seeing a pineapple flower on the windowsill. Magazine photos support these dreams, because today there are many varieties of plants that look like him. But more on that later. The easiest way to get this plant is to grow it from ripe pineapple. To do this, you need to unscrew the sultan from green leaves from the cone. This will be the planting material. within two days it needs to be slightly dried, then plant in peat with sand. If the temperature is from 24 degrees or more, then after about 3-4 weeks, roots will appear. It is very important to cover the sultan with a bag and regularly moisten the soil.
When the plant takes root, it is rearranged on the window. Now a pineapple flower becomes a cherished dream. How to care for a plant so that it blooms, we have already talked above. This usually occurs in early summer, and the fetus matures within 4-5 months. There is a way to make the plant bloom. To do this, a packet of ripe apples is tied to it. They emit ethylene which promotes flowering.
Transplant and disease control
Pineapple is growing very fast, and high demands on nutrients suggests that transplanting will have to be done quite often. The plant is transplanted after 2 months until it reaches a year. Then the frequency is reduced to once a year. In this case, the pot should be too small for him. Pruning is not required, except for the removal of dry leaves. Pineapple loves to gnaw a worm called a worm. If yellow spots appeared on the leaves, then you definitely need to pay attention to it. The worm can be easily removed with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.
Variety of species
If you did not manage to grow an exotic bump - do not be discouraged. You can easily pick up a flower that looks like a pineapple. A photo will help you make a choice, so read the article to the end. Today we are considering only a few of the most striking options for decorating your home collections. In fact, there are many more offers on the market today.
The most interesting thing is that flowers similar to pineapple belong to different families: bromeliads, lily, asparagus, protea. But they have common features, namely the structure of a leaf rosette and a flower that opens in its center.
Eukomis
This is a bulbous plant of the hyacinth family. It can be grown as a potted or garden plant. It grows rapidly, flowering occurs in the summer. The blossoming inflorescence has a certain resemblance to pineapple. "Beautiful Tuft" so you can translate its name. A flower, like a pineapple - that's what flower growers call it among themselves.
The plant is unusual, but growing and caring for them is easy. The main care is regular watering and top dressing. Watering should be stopped when the leaves turn yellow on the plant. Now comes a period of rest. Until spring, it is recommended that the bulb be stored on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator. Top dressing should be done 2 to 3 times a year, while nitrogenous fertilizers are not the best choice.
Protea
An amazing plant that was brought to our region from Africa. It is used to decorate gardens, and also planted in pots. Proteins are very different, some resemble a simple burdock. The most beautiful royal protea. During the formation of the bud, it is very similar to pineapple, and during flowering, a huge artichoke. The diameter of the flower is approximately 30 cm. 10 buds are formed on one bush. In this case, the care of the plant is simple, it is very unpretentious. Even without watering, it is able to gather luxurious buds and delight you with flowers.
Gusmania
And again a guest from the tropics. This plant is an epiphyte from the bromeliad family. It grows in South America. It has long, glossy rosettes, which are collected in a dense basal rosette. The plant is quite attractive, but most gardeners are looking forward to the appearance of buds. But there can be difficulties with this. Only in the fourth year of life, an upright stem with a bright inflorescence is thrown from the center. But the flowers live only a few days, so a long wait turns into disappointment.
Nidularium
This is a real gem of every collection. For the color of the upper leaves, resembling a star, it received this name. Spectacular leaves are collected in a tight outlet. At first glance, the leaves themselves resemble artificial ones, they are dense and shiny. A large rosette of long leaves with small notches. You don’t have to wait for flowering, the decorative plant itself. Bright, reddish leaves in the center of the outlet give it all its beauty. Like a star, it shines all year round.
Neoregelia
This species was also imported from Brazil. Bright and original representative of the bromeliad family. Decorative preserves throughout the year. A rosette consists of shiny leaves. They form a dense, thick outlet. The edge of the outlet is decorated with thorns. During flowering, the central leaves of the rosette become intensely red. This gives the impression that a red flower has blossomed. The plant needs diffused sunlight. But direct sunlight can be dangerous, as the leaves will get burned. In winter, it is imperative to install fluorescent lamps. In spring and summer, you need air temperature +25, and in winter it must be reduced to +16. Humidity is very important, it should not be lower than 60%, so it is advisable to install a humidifier in the apartment.
Ehmeya
An herbaceous plant of the bromeliad family. Under natural conditions, the plant can be found in tropical forests. They grow on trees. This family includes plants that receive nutrients from the air, as well as feed from the soil. To which variety does echmea belong? Her root system is poorly developed and is used only for consolidation.
The plant receives all the necessary substances from the air. Therefore, the leaves have a specific shape, spinning toward the center. So, they collect water after rain. Such an amazing flower in the form of pineapple. Photo and name were checked with a catalog of modern ornamental plants.
This is practically the only plant that will not grow if water does not get into the center of the outlet. Most species, by contrast, cannot tolerate this. Make sure that in the hot season a funnel in the center of the plant every day remains a little water. But in the cold season, excessive moisture can cause rotting of the root system.
Bromeliad
This is another beautiful indoor flower similar to pineapple. Its name gave the name to a huge family, which includes several hundred plants. This overseas beauty hails from Latin America. The plant has dense and hard leaves of lancet form. They form a symmetrical basal rosette. The color of the leaves is plain or colorful. But most of all, flowers deserve attention. They are collected in apical spike-shaped inflorescences. The color may be different, but most often the flowers are red or lilac.
Bromeliad blooms in winter, so it is sometimes called a Christmas star. The plant is not too demanding to care. It is important to water it abundantly in the heat and lower the temperature in the winter.