Dwarf pineapple pineapple comosus var. microstchys

Credit: Aiman Hakimi

Pineapple comosus var. microstachys fruit

Credit: Ong Jyh Seng

Inflorescence Dwarf pineapple Ananas microstachys

Credit: Timm Stoltent

Inflorescence pink bracts Ananas comosus var microcstachus

Credit: Marcia Martins

Pineapple comosus var. microstachys, the dwarf pineapple

If SpongeBob wanted to become a minimalist and live in a tiny-house, he could easily move into a Pineapple comosus var microstachys. This cultivar is a dwarf variety of Ananas comosus. It doesn't exceed 60 centimetres in height and its fruit is smaller than a pen.

How to recognize the dwarf pineapple (Ananas comosus var. Microstachys)?

An herbaceous plant with a bushy habit, Ananas comosus var. Microstachys is barely 60 centimetres high and has a wingspan of 90 centimetres.

Ananas comosus var. Microstachys forms a flared rosette of leaves. The foliage conceals the central stem, which supports the inflorescence and fruit.

The leaves are bright green, with spiny margins. Long and stiff, they resemble swords.

Small, tubular flowers are grouped in spikes at the top of the stem. White, with purple tips, they are borne on pink bracts.

The yellow or golden fruit weighs no more than 100 grams. Conical, it is crowned with green leaves. This miniature pineapple is edible. But it is so small that it contains little juice or flesh.

Pineapple comosus var. Microstachys is non-toxic. It is harmless if touched or ingested. But be careful when handling it! Its leaves can be sharp or prickly!

Our maintenance tips

Watering

Water when the soil is dry, for about three centimeters. Use room-temperature, non-calcareous water, preferably rainwater. When watering, avoid wetting the leaves.

Thirty minutes after watering, drain off any stagnant water in the saucer. It may rot the roots.

To improve humidity, place your Ananas comosus var. Microstachys with your other plants or place its pot on a dish of moist clay balls.

Spray

Spray foliage with non-calcareous water at room temperature. In addition to increasing humidity, misting prevents the appearance of undesirable insects.

Repotting

Every spring, repot your Ananas comosus var. Microstachys to give it more space.

Your Pineapple comosus var. Microstachys likes to be cramped. Repot it in a pierced pot barely larger than the root ball.

Line the bottom of the pot with a well-drained substrate. You can use potting soil for Bromeliads or for cacti and succulents. You can also make your own growing medium by mixing equal parts :

potting soil for green plants ;
bark ;
coconut fiber ;
perlite ;
sphagnum moss.

Plant your Pineapple comosus var. Microstachys in the center and add substrate. Tamp and water to encourage rooting.

Place your pot on a dish of moist clay balls to improve humidity.

Fertilization

To promote the growth of your Ananas comosus var. Microstachys, apply fertilizer in spring and summer.

Dilute green plant fertilizer with water.

Cleaning

Clean the leaves with a clean wet sponge. This removes dust and improves photosynthesis. It's also a way of preventing mite infestations.

Prune

To encourage the growth of your Pineapple comosus var. Microstachys, prune regularly.

Remove yellowed leaves. They will not regain their color and are no longer useful to the plant. You can remove them by hand or with clean pruning shears.

Cutting

The best time to take cuttings is after your Ananas comosus var. Microstachys has bloomed.

Wait until the shoots are at least a third of the size of the main plant before removing them. Separate them with your hands or a clean, sharp instrument (pruning shears or scissors). Be sure to keep some roots for each cutting.

Prepare a pierced pot adapted to the size of your cutting.

Pour a layer of potting soil for cacti and succulents or for bromeliads into the bottom. You can also make your own growing medium by mixing equal parts of potting soil for green plants, bark, sphagnum moss, perlite and coconut fibre.

Plant your Pineapple comosus var. Microstachys and add substrate. Tamp to remove air bubbles and water to encourage rooting.

Your plant appreciates humidity. Place the pot on a saucer filled with moist clay balls to increase humidity.

Diseases / Threats

Red spiders

Mealybugs

Information

Family	Bromeliads - Bromeliaceae
Type	Pineapple - Ananas
Species	Pineapple comosus - Ananas comosus
Lifecycle	Perennial
Foliage	Evergreen
Exposures	Sun Half-shade
Substrats	Humus soil Sandy soil
Planting method	In pots
Categories	Fruit tree Interior Herbaceous
Tag	Edible fruit
Origin	South America
Hardiness (USDA)	11a
Leaf color
Flower colors
Fruit colors