While I was preparing for the incoming storm I noticed that one of my little pineapple fruits* had turned yellow. Pineapple cultivation is new to me but I took it as a sign that it was ready to harvest.

All the pineapple tops that I planted were Tropical Golds and as the name implies, they grow well in Florida’s climate. In fact, pineapples were one of the state’s early agricultural successes. The first pineapple plantation was established in Key West in the 1860s.

The crop was profitable, so cultivation soon expanded around the state. At one point, Florida was the “The Pineapple Capital of the World”. Unfortunately, the boom was short-lived. In the early 1900s a few factors combined to destroy the industry (freezes, insects, red wilt, and Cuban growers flooding the market).

I’m really pleased with my little experiment, not only was it free (I saved the tops from the landfill) but it was super easy (I plopped the cured tops in the ground and then ignored them). As one of Dole’s patented varieties it lived up to the hype, it was just delicious – sweet but low in acid. And yes, I saved the top and will be planting it soon!

* Technically, the pineapple plant does not produce a fruit, it is a berry which develops from multiple flowers. Trust me, I was surprised when it bloomed back in April. Look how pretty they are!