Pineapples are plants that come from the Bromeliaceae family. They are native to South America and parts of Central America, but they are now grown in many tropical and subtropical regions around the world.
The pineapple plant is a herbaceous perennial that grows to around 1.5 m (5 ft) tall, with a rosette of waxy, lobed leaves about 30 cm (12 in) long and 20 cm (8 in) wide. The edible fruit is produced at the end of a stalk that emerges from the center of the rosette, and is an aggregate of around 200 individual fruitlets.
Are Pineapples Related To Air Pineapples?
No, pineapples and air pineapples are not related. Air plants ( Tillandsia spp.) are members of the bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae), but they are not closely related to pineapples ( Ananas comosus ). Both groups of plants are native to the Americas, but air plants are found in a much wider range of habitats, from deserts to rainforests.
Air plants get their common name from the fact that they do not require soil to grow, as they are able to obtain all the nutrients and water they need from the air around them. Pineapples, on the other hand, are typically found growing in moist, shady conditions on the forest floor.
Pineapples have been cultivated for centuries in their native regions, and were first introduced to Europe by Christopher Columbus in the 15th century. They soon became a popular fruit among European royalty and nobility, and were grown in royal and aristocratic gardens across the continent.
Where did the name air Pineapple originate? Because the cultivation of air pineapples does not require soil to absorb nutrients, most can get the nutrients for survival only through the air, a magical life.
The cultivation of air pineapple has been very successful in recent years because everyone hopes to bring some greenery into their life.
The air pineapple, a well-cared-for plant, has become very popular, whether placed on the balcony, desk, or even by a window. If you pay attention to the following points, you can easily take care of them properly.
Air plants is the common name for members of the genus Tillandsia, which belongs to the Bromeliad family. Air plants’ the most famous cousin of the Bromeliad family (Bromeliaceae, the pineapple family) is probably the pineapple. But unlike pineapples, air plants get their water and nutrients from the air.
What Is Air Pineapple?
Air pineapple is a plant of the genus Tillandsia. There are about 500 natural varieties in the wild, and more than 200 new varieties propagate artificially.
And the total number is still growing.
Some people estimate a total of 650 species. Some say it is 800 species. In large numbers, many high-altitude air pineapples are even rarer in players’ eyes.
The air pineapple absorbs water and nutrients to drink water through the trichomes on the entire leaf surface. You should water your plants thoroughly by filling the pot with water. Only watering the roots or parts of it is not enough.
Air pineapple plants are a kind of epiphyte. Epiphytes are plants that grow on other objects. For example, there are often traces of orchids near the air phoenix growing in the wild.
Epiphytes and parasitism are two different kinds of plant relationships. Epiphytes do not absorb the host’s nutrients, while parasitism relies on absorbing the host’s nutrients to survive.
Epiphytes obtain nutrients for growth from the surrounding air, water, and debris.
And what is the root of the air pineapple used? Some air pineapples have long roots at the bottom. Their function is not to absorb water and nutrients but to cling to the host, such as branches, rocks, telephone poles, etc.
You may ask, are air pineapples related to pineapples? The answer is yes! They are close relatives! The diversity of nature is so fascinating, right?
There Are Four Critical Points In The Care Of Air Pineapples.
When taking care of the air pineapple, you must also learn how to “observe” it. No one’s environment is the same. For the air pineapple, there will be different adaptation stages. Just bring it home and first observe how its state changes. If you don’t trust your memory, take a photo and record it, you can compare the difference after planting for a while. The four most important points are as follows:
- Maintain air circulation in the cultivation environment.
- Ensure appropriate water supply. The center can not accumulate water.
- After each spray (watering), let it dry; please do not keep it wet for a long time.
- The frequency of water supply, 2-3 times a week to water is enough.
Can Air Pineapples Be Soaked In Water?
If you have read the introduction of foreign blogs or books, people in Europe and the United States soak them in water when they cultivate air pineapples, so air pineapples can absorb a lot of water at one time, which means you can drink them until you are full! But it depends on the level of humidity in your home.
After soaking and picking it up, pay attention to see if there is water in the center of the air pineapple. If there is water, remember to shake out the water and try to put it in an environment that can dry within three hours.
Excess water should not stick to the leaf axils; this is taboo when planting air pineapples. Placing them ‘upside down’ after watering can also reduce the chance of water accumulation in the center.
The most afraid of excess water stuck in the leaf axils. It’s not a good idea when planting air pineapples! “Upside down” after watering can also reduce the chance of water accumulation in the center.
The Secret On The Leaves Of The Air Pineapple?
On the leaves of the air pineapple, we can often see fine silver-white hairs (some say they are scales). These plants use fine hairs to collect moisture, have sun protection, and collect dust in the air.
The air pineapples usually come from areas with high sunshine because silver has the function of sun protection, and most of them can adapt to drier and firmer sunshine environments.
The leaves of some air pineapples are greener and shinier. It happens because the native place of these air pineapples is usually in a relatively shady environment, preferring a high humidity and shaded environment.
So their leaves do not need fine white hairs to reflect light. Sunlight, in other words, requires a little less light.
The evening is the best time to water the air pineapples. It’s not a good idea to water in the sun!
What Temperature Is Suitable For The Growth Of Air Pineapples?
Because air pineapples are tropical epiphytes native to Mexico, Central and South America, and other places, they are unsuitable for growing in freezing environments.
In the winter, if it’s too cold, remember to move them indoors to take care of them. However, suppose you live in the central or southern parts of the country. In that case, it is more important to pay attention to whether it will be overheated or the growing environment will be stagnant or too stuffy in the summer.
Their native place is also in a country with a hot tropical climate, but the ventilated environment allows them to dissipate heat quickly. If you are planting in the city, sprinkling some water on summer nights to cool them down is another good way for the air pineapple to release heat.
Between 18-26 degrees is the fastest growing temperature range for air pineapples.
How To Judge Whether The Air Pineapple At Home Is Healthy?
- Are air pineapples growing? As mentioned above, observe the growth progress of the air pineapple. For example, if new roots and new leaves grow, it usually means the air pineapple is still satisfied with the current environment!
- Is the air pineapple short of water? You can observe the curling degree of the leaves. If it is more curled, it means less water, and the straighter it means more moisture and less light.
But it’s not necessarily a bad thing! Like the “electric curler” in the picture above, everyone likes the look of its curly hair, and some people will deliberately prolong the watering time to make it look more curly!
Air pineapples will not die suddenly because of not watering for a week or two, but there will be apparent changes suddenly. Maybe the planting environment will have some problems in how you look after it, so be sure to monitor any changes.
- Are the tips of air pineapple leaves dry? If the end of the leaf begins to dry up: it may be due to too intense sunlight. At this time, remember to transplant it to a shady place, not necessarily indoors, under a tree, or a large plant.
- The bottom of the air pineapple is rotten and black. We call the bottom of the air pineapple the butt of its heart; if the base is rotten and black, it is useless. It is possible that the environment does not have enough ventilation, and the water in the center sat for too long and caused the butt to rot!
If it is soft and rotten and has no elasticity, or the leaves are peeling off one by one, unfortunately, this air pineapple has a high probability of dying.
- Are the lower leaves of the air pineapple aging and drying? The reason may be that there has been no normal photosynthesis for a long time. Has your air pineapple been planted in the office all the time without letting it bask in the sun?
- Plants also need nutrients to grow. Without sunlight, there will be no sufficient nutrients. They can only rely on absorbing nutrients from the lower leaves to develop themselves. In this situation, the air pineapples tell you, “they need to get some sunshine!”
Do Air Pineapples Need To Be Fertilized?
Like every other plant, we can fertilize air pineapples, but not too much. For most people, at most, once a month is good (it can be less) because the demand for fertilizers of air pineapples is not so high.
Usually, the fertilizer package shows the proper dilution ratio of liquid fertilizer. Divide the percentage by 4, it is about 2000-4000 grams of water for 1 gram of fertilizer when you start trying, but we suggest that if you are a novice, do not rush to try fertilizing.
You can find out if it’s not too late to try after you learn to observe the air pineapple’s growth habit. So unless you have many plants, buying fertilizers in small packages is recommended.
Has The Air Pineapple Changed Color?
If you plan to plant air pineapples outside, when the weather is cold, the leaves at the top begin to change color, turning red and purple. You may ask, what is going on? Don’t worry; it has become so beautiful that he is about to bloom!
We call these leaves “marriage colors,” which are signs of attracting animals to pass flowers and pollinate. After turning red, they will bloom. What about after blooming? Take a look at the next question.
Will The Air Pineapple Bloom?
Yes, most air pineapples will bloom! However, the air pineapple is a perennial plant that only blooms once in a lifetime because once it blooms, it means that its life has reached the next stage.
Although it will not die immediately, as the rumors say, it will slowly decline. This process takes about 2-3 years.
But don’t worry! After the air pineapple blooms, many lateral buds will grow. The lateral bud is also one of the main ways to propagate the air pineapple. When the lateral bud grows to half the size of the mother plant, it can be separated from the mother plant to form a new one.
The mother plant shrinks because the ramets soak up and will not grow again. Some say the mother plant will slowly provide nutrients to the lateral buds, becoming smaller and withering. But we have also encountered the mother plant and the lateral buds growing together. Great example!
Another way of reproduction is by pollinating the flowers to propagate the seed clips. Like most flowering plants, the pollen of the stamens is in contact with the stigma of the pistils. After the pollination is successful, it takes a few months to one or two years. Wait for the pods to mature before harvesting the seeds.
It is a good thing to see the blooming pineapples, and welcoming the arrival of new life is something people look forward to!
Air pineapples will love the sun when they bloom, so that you can move them to a place with a little more sunlight.
