Ananas comosusvar.variegatus
Variegated pineapple , Ananas comosusvar.variegatus,(syn . A. comosusvar.comosus)is an ornamental evergreen plant repeated in the Bromeliad family suited to finish in USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12 .
Sometimes list asA. comosus‘Variegatus , ’ this species displays striking multicolored , brand - corresponding foliage , red or purple flowers , and decorative but unappetizing pineapple plant that are more stringy than their comestible counterpart and less toothsome .
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Photo by Louise Wolff, Wikimedia Commons, viaCC BY-SA.
Inour usher to rise pineapples , we cover how to cultivate the tasty yield in your landscape .
take on to learn how to farm and care for motley pineapple in - primer coat and in container .
Here ’s the batting order :
Photo by Louise Wolff, Wikimedia Commons, viaCC BY-SA.
What You’ll Learn
Quick Look
How to Grow
Where to purchase
Propagation
Pests and Disease
Ornamental vary pineapple and their edible cousin-german are terrestrial bromeliads .
Unlike epiphytic bromeliads that grow benignly on tilt or trees , like Spanish moss , pineapples grow in soil .
They are endemic to South America , and our subject species is most prevalent in Brazil .
Common name(s):Variegated or ornamental pineapple plant
plant life type : Herbaceous evergreen bromeliad
Hardiness ( USDA Zone):10 - 12
aboriginal to : Tropical South America
Bloom time / season : Summer
pic : Full sunlight , partial tint ; bright , indirect sunlight indoors
territory type : Organically - productive , loose , well debilitate
Soil pH:6.1 - 7.8 , slightly acidulent to indifferent
Time to maturity:1 - 3 years
Mature size:3 - 4 ft wide x 2 - 3 foot high ( depending on cultivar )
Best uses : Bed , border , container , houseplant , aggregate planting , specimen
Taxonomy
parliamentary procedure : Poales
household : Bromeliaceae
Genus : Ananas
Species : Comosus
Variety : Variegatus
These plants pop the question gardeners much visual appeal , with showy , leathery , variegated gray , unripe , pink , red , livid , and sensationalistic brand - alike leaves with big spines along the edges .
In the summertime , an efflorescence rises from the basal clump of boldly hued foliage .
From its hint , a slow , cone cell - like cluster of century of tube-shaped purple to red florets erupts follow by asyncarpor fused bundle of fruit we know as a pineapple .
At the top of the belittled pineapple a jet of leaves sprouts , replicate the parental foliage below .
Historically speak , pineapples were transported from South America to the Caribbean Islands . In 1493 IE Christopher Columbus encountered them on his “ New World ” voyage .
By the 1600s , worldwide exporting was afoot via the mapped waterways . Today , eatable and ornamental ananas make up a large commercial market .
For those in Zones 10 to 12 , variegated pineapple perform exceptionally well when slew - engraft in moulding and drifts .
It is also an eye - catch standalone specimen in bed , borders , and container .
Growers outside Zones 10 to 12 can enjoy it as a tropical houseplant that remains indoors year - turn or spends summertime outside .
Light
Select a position with full morning sunlight and shady afternoon for the most vivacious foliage alfresco .
houseplant do considerably with hopeful , indirect sunlight .
Soil
In - ground specimens do better with arenaceous loam that is organically rich and drain well . The pH should be slightly acidulous to achromatic , 6.1 to 7.8 .
For growing in container , use a dirt mix containing organically - rich peat or compost and perlite or vermiculite for nutrient , moisture retentiveness , and optimal drainage .
Premium Potting Soil
I advocate Premium Potting Soil that is available from the Midwest Hearth Storevia Amazon .
This product contain the basics : peat moss , perlite , and vermiculite , all you need for airy , non - compacting soil that is wet - retentive , nutrient - dense , and well - draining .
Do not use a product invent for bromeliads as these are generally soilless substratum for epiphytes , not terrestrials .
Water
weewee in - reason specimen in the absence of rainwater to supply about an inch of wet per week .
For containers , allow the pot almost dry out before lacrimation again . You canuse a wet meter as a scout .
They need less weewee during fall and winter . see the soil before water to keep off oversaturation .
Outdoors specimen likely wo n’t want any extra wet unless it ’s specially windy and/or dry .
Humidity and Temperature
Indoor pots in ironical environment with humidity less than 30 per centum may profit from resting on a bottom of pebble and water to raise the ambient moisture .
The idealistic temperature mountain chain is 70 to 86 ° atomic number 9 . When nighttime temperature drop to 60 ° F , bring outdoor pots deep down for the winter .
Fertilizing
Because vary pineapple need to be grow in fertile soil , great measure of fertilizer are not necessary .
In - ground plants do good from a single app of all - use , slow - dismissal granular fertiliser in early leaping .
For indoor and outdoor containers , apply half - strength all - aim fluid houseplant food once in the spring and again in the summer .
Dr. Earth Pump and rise is an excellent ware with an NPK proportion of 1 - 1 - 1 . It ’s idealistic for feeding your container - uprise variegated pineapples .
Dr. Earth Pump and produce
you could find this productavailable from Arbico Organics .
Discontinue feeding during the fall and winter .
Maintenance
As the farewell have sharp spines and the foliage is toxic , handling plants with impermeablegarden glovesis a secure idea .
Unlike woody perennials , there is lilliputian to do in the fashion of routine pruning . However , you may have to dress off leafage damage or adversely affected by pestis or pathogen .
When the pineapples begin to shrivel up and no longer look attractive , remove entire stalking by cutting them off as near the point of root as potential without damaging leafage .
Every two years or so , after flowering and fruiting , repot container - arise specimens with smart sensitive .
water parting offshoot at this sentence to pot up individually . The unexampled pots should be two inches wider than the tooth root mass .
Bring outdoor pot indoors when the nighttime temperature dips below 60 ° F .
It ’s comfortable to find plants if you endure in one of the growing geographical zone for which it is appropriate and shop in a local nursery .
However , sometimes you’re able to detect them uncommitted online .
‘ Sweet Stripes ’
‘ Sweet Stripes ’ is a cultivar that farm up to 36 inches marvelous and produces edible yield .
you may find plant available in three - column inch containers from Wellspring Gardensvia Walmart .
You are unlikely to find seminal fluid for decorative pineapple plants . If you do , they may or may not be viable and germination is sluggish .
Fortunately , there are good ways to propagate , including with a basal setoff , pennant press clipping , side shoot cutting , or nursery start .
Let ’s talk about .
From Basal Offsets
At the base of each yield , you ’ll see baby plants called “ offsets ” or “ pup . ” These can be hit and imbed or potted up .
cut back them off as unaired to their point of origin as potential . Let the sever end dry out for a few days in a nerveless , dry location to form a callosity .
Once it has a ironical callosity at the base , prepare a pot .
The growth of new foliage indicates successful rooting .
From Crown Cuttings
prune through the fruit just below the whorl of foliage on top .
Cut away the fruit portion and lower leave to reveal a au naturel one - inch stem with visible brown root node .
Place the ananas top on a readable glass contain enough water to submerge the stripped stem while the leaf perch on the flange .
Put the glass in brilliant , collateral sunlight in a 70 ° atomic number 9 room and modify the water daily .
stem will shoot and be seeable through the glass . When they are about an in long , transplant the rooted crown to a pot of ground .
uphold to allow bright , collateral sunshine and maintain even moisture .
Learn more about this method acting here .
Transplanting
A pullulate offset or cutting , or a nursery scratch line , are suitable for transplant to the garden in contributing climates or containers two inches spacious than the ascendant mass .
The root are shallow , so standard flock depths are satisfactory .
For in - ground development , train the soil to a profoundness and width twice the sizing of the container the works is currently growing in .
Set the integral contents of the pot at the same depth as in the original container .
Managing Pests and Disease
Sapsucking pests feed on industrial plant succus , induce foliar anomalies including defoliation , deformity , desiccation , discoloration , and overall aerobatics and miserable wellness .
Indoor pot in dry environments with humidity below 30 per centum are the most susceptible . Likely perpetrator include :
In add-on to pestis that flow on leaf , some nematode species feed on roots .
In the event of a sapsucker plague , employ a firmspray with a hoseor faucet to bump as many visible insects as potential .
take away and dispose of damaged plant material .
Bonide Neem fossil oil
Bonide ® Neem Oil isavailable from Arbico Organicsin quart- or gallon - sized ready - to - consumption spray and a pint - sized dressed ore .
Use neem oil per software instructions for sapsucker prevention and ascendance .
Inhibit outbreaks by increase the ambient humidity around a plant using a humidifier or seam of moist pebbles beneath the pot .
Disease
While not prostrate to disease , there is one to keep an centre out for , especially during too wet conditions .
Bacterial soft rot and wilt , do byDickeya chrysanthemi , is most rife when the temperature is between 70 and 80 ° F and melodic phrase circulation is short .
symptom admit malodorous , water - soaked foliar lesion and mushy roots . As there is no cure , dispose of affected plant in the deoxyephedrine .
Avoid overwatering or countenance potbelly to remain in brook water in drip mold saucers , and provide optimal air flow by spacing industrial plant sufficiently .
A Tropical Vibe
The variegated pineapple plant ’s miniature fruit and colourful , sword - same foliage make it an undischarged focal point in out-of-door and indoor keep spaces .
Provide lustrous , indirect sun , rich , well - draining soil , and restrained wet without oversaturation .
Take out your garden plannerand append variegated pineapple for irresistibly impulsive plant life with a refreshingly tropical vibe .
And if you ’d care to read plants in the bromeliad home , we commend the stick to guides next :
© call for the Experts , LLC . ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.See our TOSfor more details . Product photograph via Arbico Organics , Midwest Hearth Store , and Walmart . Uncredited photos : Shutterstock .
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Nan Schiller
