About
Ananas comosus 'Champaca' is a perennial plant that retains its foliage year-round, characterized by rosettes of dark green, spiny, lanceolate leaves. In summer, it produces compact spikes of tubular purple flowers accompanied by reddish bracts, which eventually give way to edible pineapples.
About the genus
Ananas are perennial, ground-dwelling bromeliads characterized by rosettes of lanceolate leaves edged with spines. During the summer months, they bear prominent flowers arranged in compact, cone-shaped clusters, which are succeeded by juicy, edible fruits.
Growing conditions
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Soil type
- Loam
- Soil pH
- Acid
- Soil moisture
- Well-drained
- Aspect
- West-facing, South-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- UK hardiness
- H1A
Plant details
- Plant type
- Conservatory Greenhouse
- Habit
- Bushy
- Foliage
- Evergreen
- Height
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Spread
- 0.1-0.5 metres
- Time to full height
- 2-5 years
- Suggested uses
- Patio and container plants
Care notes
- Cultivation
- Grow in terrestrial bromeliad compost in full light, low to moderately humidity and no draughts. Water freely when growing and flowering, reduce slightly and add a balanced liquid feed weekly when in fruit, keep barely moist at other times
- Pruning
- No pruning required
- Propagation
- Root basal offsets in early summer, or sever the leafy rosette at the top of the fruit, allow it a day or two to callus then root it in a barely-moist mix of peat substitute and sand in indirect light at 21°C
- Pest resistance
- May be susceptible to scale insects
- Disease resistance
- Generally disease-free