Scientific name: Ananas comosus
Common name: Pineapple
Malay name: Nenas
Family: Bromeliaceae
Origin: South America
The pineapple, of which there are about 2,000 species, is a herbaceous perennial and seem easy enough to grow (from the crown cuttings) in containers in the urban garden. But flowering and fruiting does take time - two years and more.
It is more than two years but I have yet to see any flowers on the two plants I have, grown from crown cuttings of pineapples I bought in Johor and a local supermarket. I guess my source of pineapples will remain the markets, both farmers' and super (markets).
Of course the pineapple has many uses as a fruit that may be consumed fresh, cooked, juiced or preserved (jams, compote, etc). This fruit has many health benefits including the enzyme Bromelain which has anti-inflammatory, anti-clotting and anti-cancer properties.
In the Philippines the leaves are made into textile fibre or pina, the material for the men's Barong Tagalog and women's Baro't saya, also shawls.
