Pineapple is one of the world’s favorite tropical fruits. First called “anana”, a Caribbean word for “excellent fruit”, the name “pineapple” came from European explorers who thought the fruit looked like a pinecone with flesh like an apple.

The pineapple is originally native to Brazil and Paraguay. Sailors brought them to the West Indies long before the arrival of Europeans, although it was the White merchants who first introduced it to Hawaii.

Christopher Columbus was the first person to introduce pineapples to Europe. In 1493, during his exploration of the Caribbean Islands, he came across pineapples growing on the island of Guadalupe. He brought some of these pineapples back for Queen Isabella of Spain who loved the sweet tropical fruit. So did other Europeans. In fact, Europeans loved the taste of pineapple so much they tried to grow them in Europe, but the tropical plants did not fare well in Europe’s cool climate.

You can grow a pineapple plant by twisting the crown of a store bought pineapple, allowing it to dry for 2-3 days, and then planting it.

It takes two years for a pineapple plant to produce, and each plant typically produces at most two pineapples during its lifecycle.

Canned pineapple was first made in the 1901 but wasn’t widely available until engineer Henry Ginaca invented a machine in 1911 that could remove the outer shell, inner core and both ends of 100 pineapples in less than a minute! This machine, known as the “Ginaca machine”, is still used in pineapple canneries today.

Of the hundred varieties of pineapples, Smooth Cayenne is by far the most prevalent. Three other varieties are gaining popularity: Red Spanish pineapples have a tougher skin that make shipping easier; Sugar Loaf pineapples are very large and heavy; Golden Supreme pineapples have lower acid and more sweetness.