Do Pineapples Have Seeds?
Pineapple is many people’s favorite fruit. They are healthy, juicy, and taste amazing.
But despite the popularity of pineapples, there are still things people don’t know about them, including whether this tropical fruit has seeds or not.
So, do pineapples have seeds? You will very rarely find seeds in commercial pineapples. They typically don’t have seeds as a result of genetic modifications and hybridization. Wild pineapples, on the other hand, do have seeds – around 50 small black or brown seeds scattered in the fruit.
This article is for you if you love to eat pineapples but still have questions about how they grow.
Continue reading to learn why you have very little chance of finding seeds in store-bought pineapples, if you can grow pineapples from seeds if you do manage to find them, and a lot more about this tropical fruit.
Pineapple: Everything You Should Know
Pineapple is a tropical plant with edible fruit. It looks like a pine cone, hence the name. Pineapples are native to South America.
According to archeological evidence, pineapples were grown by the Mayas and Aztecs. Later, in the 14th century, they were introduced to Native Americans.
Christopher Columbus was the first European to get acquainted with this tropical fruit with spiky leaves in the late 15th century.
Today, pineapples are grown in different parts of the world, including Hawaii, Mexico, China, Thailand, the Philippines, etc.
You will most likely find pineapples in your local supermarket. These fruits are not expensive and are available year-round.
Even if you don’t manage to find fresh pineapples where you live, you will surely be able to buy canned pineapple or frozen pineapple chunks.
There are multiple pineapple varieties, including Queen pineapples, Red Spanish pineapples, and Pernambuco pineapples.
Smooth Cayenne pineapples are probably the most popular pineapple variety.
Health Benefits Of Pineapples
The health benefits of pineapples are impressive.
- Pineapples are rich in nutrients. Low in calories, this tropical fruit is loaded with vitamin C and manganese. It is also a good source of vitamin B6, copper, folate, thiamin, etc.
- Pineapple is a good source of antioxidants. Including pineapples in your diet will help your body fight free radicals, thus reducing the risks of chronic diseases, cancer, diabetes, etc.
- Pineapple helps fight inflammation in the body. Rich in vitamins, minerals, and enzymes, pineapple boosts the immune system and suppresses the inflammation processes in the body.
- Pineapples are good for digestion. Pineapples are the only known fruit to contain bromelain. Bromelain represents a group of digestive enzymes that ease digestion breaking down proteins.
Uses In Cooking
Pineapples are a very versatile fruit. Considering the many health benefits they have, eating pineapples fresh is certainly a good idea.
But there are many uses for pineapples in cooking, in both sweet and savory dishes.
You can use pineapples in salads, salsas, smoothies, cocktails, baked goods, desserts, etc. Pineapples taste great grilled.
Grilled pineapple can go on ice cream as well as chicken, ham, and shrimp. You can also dehydrate pineapples and eat them as a snack.
How Do Pineapples Grow?
Many people think that pineapples grow on trees and are surprised to find out that they grow on leafy plants, right out of the ground.
The plant has a central stem. Leaves grow all around the pineapples stem.
They are tapered and thick and can grow as long as 5 feet. The fruit itself grows on the central stem of the plant.
Are There Seeds In A Pineapple?
Pineapples do have seeds. However, not all of them. There is very little chance of you finding seeds in a commercial pineapple.
The absence of seeds in store-bought pineapples is a result of the genetic modifications the fruits have undergone.
To make pineapples fit the needs of modern consumers and be able to produce them in large amounts, these tropical fruits have been hybridized too.
But these genetic processes didn’t have a negative impact on pineapples as you might think.
In fact, they were rather critical as pineapples are not self-compatible.
This means that they are not able to be fertilized by their own pollen. Even if pineapples had undergone mutations, they wouldn’t produce seeds as the seeds are not essential for the formation of pineapples.
Originally, these tropical fruits required cross-pollinators like hummingbirds. If it weren’t for hybridization, you wouldn’t be able to enjoy juicy and sweet pineapples.
Additionally, thanks to these modifications, pineapples can be grown in various weather conditions and have a relatively long shelf life.
Do Wild Pineapples Have Seeds?
Wild pineapples are rare. They also look very different from the juicy fruits we all buy and enjoy eating.
In fact, the wild version of this fruit looks so different that some people think they are not even edible.
You can eat wild pineapple if you come across one. But don’t expect it to be as sweet as the pineapples you are used to eating.
Wild pineapples have leaves directing water to the center of the plant. The leaves of wild pineapples point either towards the plant or away.
Another major difference between wild pineapples and commercial pineapples is that unlike the commercial ones that rarely have seeds wild pineapples always have them.
There are up to 50 seeds in a wild pineapple.
Pineapple seeds are very small. They are either black or dark brown. Once you cut the pineapple, you will see them spread unevenly through the fruit.
Can You Eat Pineapple Seeds?
Pineapples seeds are completely safe for consumption. Whether you find them in wild pineapple or commercial pineapple (the chances of which are low), you can eat the pineapple seeds.
These seeds are not toxic and it doesn’t matter whether the fruit is well-ripened or not.
The seeds shouldn’t concern you when eating wild pineapples as there is something else to be more cautious about – the acidity of wild pineapples.
The level of acidity of raw wild pineapples is so high that you may burn your lips, tongue, or throat when eating them.
Even commercial pineapples may cause a burning sensation. So, imagine what a wild pineapple can do.
The reason why pineapple burns is that it contains bromelain. This group of enzymes is found in the stem, fruit, and juice of pineapples.
Eating pineapple hurts as bromelain dissolves the protective mucous inside the mouth and ‘digests’ tender skin.
The burning sensation of pineapples can be reduced by cooking them. It should be noted, though, that wild pineapple doesn’t taste good when cooked either.
Can You Grow Pineapple From Seeds?
You can grow pineapples from seed. However, as mentioned above, pineapple seeds are not very easy to obtain.
There are easier ways to grow pineapples, such as growing them using the top part of the fruit or buying a pineapple plant from your local store.
Using the top part of the pineapple to grow the plant is not only easy but it’s cheap too.
All you have to do is to buy a well-ripened pineapple, remove the top by twisting it off, and let it dry out for around seven days.
You will then need to set the top of the pineapple in a shallow bowl filled with water.
As the plant sits in water for a few weeks, it will start to grow roots. This is when you have to plant the pineapple.
If growing a pineapple using the top cutting seems too much of a hassle for you, then growing it from the seed isn’t something you should consider doing as it surely requires more effort.
But if you are determined to do it, here’s how.
How To Grow Pineapple From A Seed
As mentioned earlier in this article, pineapples with seeds are not very common especially among the fruits sold at your local stores.
So, the first thing you should do is to obtain some pineapple seeds.
If you are on the hunt for a pineapple that has tiny black seeds, choose ripe yellow pineapples for higher chances of finding them.
Once you have them, here is what you should do.
- Rinse the seeds you have removed from the pineapple.
- Wrap the seeds in a wet paper towel and put them in a zip-top bag. This is the stage of germination of the seed. Germination is the process of the development of a plant from seeds after they have been dormant. The seeds start to grow as a response to warmth and water which is why you have to keep them covered.
- Put the bag with seeds in a room where it is warm at all times – around 65 to 75 degrees.
- After around 6 months you will start noticing baby plants.
- Plant them in containers with a 2-quart capacity.
- Let the baby plants grow in these temporary pots until they are large enough to be planted in a permanent large pot.
- Don’t expect the plant to bear fruit for at least two years. Pineapple trees should be around three years of age to be able to produce their first fruit. After that, expect the tree to bear fruit with intervals of two years.
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