I have a question about this also. I just picked my pineapple, but it was a very small fruit, only about 2". It was very yellow and very sweet-smelling however, and I did not want it to rot. I purchased my pineapple plant from Meijer (a regional chain similar to Wal Mart) and it is about 1.5 feet across, maybe 2 at most. Does that mean that it will not produce shoots before it dies? I was curious as to if they would be produced before the pineapple was ripe or after it was picked, but mine has not started growing any yet. Do you think I'll be able to get some more plants out of it? If I can get to a garden center I am going to plant the top tomorrow. Also, I have read that in order to produce a full-size fruit, the plant needs to get about 6 feet across. As I live in a college dorm-type place, this is not possible. Is it safe to assume that the size of the pineapple is directly related to the size of the plant, or will the fruit be almost too small to eat unless the plant is full-size? It is too bad that I live in Michigan - I was sucked in by the novelty of a pineapple plant at the store, but the more I have read about them, the more I think, "I wouldn't mind growing a patch of them in the yard at my parent's house". Thank you for your help!

Pineapples are non-climacteric fruit. This means they do little to no ripening after being picked. Accordingly, I pick my pineapples when they are almost completely yellow. The fact that pineapples are non-climacteric fruit also means that store bought fruit won't get any sweeter than the day you buy them. Other non-climacteric fruits include artichoke, asparagus, blackberry, blueberry, cauliflower, cherry, citrus fruits, eggplant, grape, lychee, strawberry and watermelon. In contrast, apple, apricot, avocado, banana, mango, papaya, peach, pear, plum and tomato will all continue to ripen after being picked. Source 1 Source 2

dghays So would I!! Never heard of a pink pineapple. Got it from a street vendor who also had the yellow and a white variety. There are other Bromeliads that produce fruit but are not grown extensively. But the vendor did call it Pina?? end of my spanish lol Sure looked like a pineapple except for the color and the size. Oh well the yellows are very easy to grow but there's an asian market that sells them for under two bucks far superior than any I grew. I now only have 3 plants mainly to see what will kill them.lol. One is growing in a recycle bin for almost two years with no soil at all. No fruit though. My garden is so small I grow mainly ornamental plants . I do grow water chestnuts,millet ,water hawthorn stevia and carombola...Everything else is just for looks lol gary

The variety is called pineapple. I got the seeds two years ago from totally tomatoes. I love its meaty flesh and great flavor and it is perfect sliced thick for sandwiches. I have to admit though, that this year it was not my heaviest producer. It made the largest fruit, but there weren't as many of them as I would have liked.