Your pineapple bolted. Some combination of environmental factors caused it.

Here is a link that might be useful: http://hortsci.ashspublications.org/content/42/5/1188.full

I thought the flowers were normal! I have had 2 fruit, one now doing that, and one last year. The one last year looked just like that, then expanded and formed a delicious, normal size fruit.

You can't have fruit without flowers.

Thanks for the link Tradition...I will check it out.

Hi Sun! That's great news...in the several years I've been growing pineapples off and on I've never had any of them with flowers like that...very interesting!

Flatwoods, lol...I know you can't have fruits w/out flowers. I was referring to the "actual flowers" growing on the outside part of the pineapple skin :o)...that's something I've never had before.

I've never had that happen either! It looks like it is starting another plant? I would say it did bolt.

Mine have always done that - I thought it was normal - perhaps there are varying types of fruits?

That's what I'm thinking... different varieties do that?

After further review, the "bolting" article was talking about producing the fruit before the plant was mature enough to really produce it, thereby never achieving a fruit of marketable size. The article wasn't talking about what's happening in that picture. So, I was wrong.

In any case, I've grown a few pineapples and that never happened to me.

They all flower, but some are not as noticeable. Enjoy

"They all flower, but some are not as noticeable. Enjoy"

Thanks Flatwoods...good to know :o)

Hopefully it will grow and mature like the others...

In any event...it is very pretty with those showy blooms...

Hi Nancy, your flowered pineapple looks good! :) I also have one like the other one you have and when I went to Tom's house, he had a few...

Here is mine

Silvia

They all flower, but just like people.... some of them are show-offs. Enjoy the blooms.

MOO

Was about to post a separate question, but this looks like the feed to ask this:
I cut a pineapple too early. It's so hard to tell when they're ready. We threw out the green fruit, but we saved the top, which isn't just one top, but a top with little pups all over it.
What do I do with these? I've loved harvesting a pineapple and planting it's top, while watching its pup also produce.
But, from a different variety, now I have a top with about 30 pups around it. Can each of them produce? I've got room to try them and I would not be adverse to a few dozen pineapples around the yard.
If the pups can produce, any ideas on the best ways to plant them?
I have another pineapple still on the plant (same variety of the one I cut too early) that also has this kind of top, with pups all over it. I'm leaving it in the yard hoping I can figure out when to pick it. But once I do, I'm going to have the same question. Yeah, I know, I don't have room for 50 pineapple plants. But I'm not opposed to the idea of sticking them in various beds all over the place.
Ideas? It would be kind of funny for me to suddenly, a few years from now, start producing lots of pineapples. But I"m willing.
(And btw, these plants are beastly, with horrible jagged spikey fronds. My other pineapple is much nicer. But I can envision the beastly ones as burglar deterants in the front yard. And there's a mini-park that my neighbor maintains across the street and I bet he can find room for some of the pups.)

Thanks Silvia!! I think its pretty cool to see it on my pineapple, never had one do that before. Now I know.

Lou, thanks!

Natives...wish I could help but I'm not an expert when it comes to pineapple. I'm actually thrilled I can actually fruit some now and then,lol...

Hopefully, someone here will be able to answer your questions.

Plant the pups, they will grow. The way to tell when they are ripe to pick, they turn color from green to yellow (from bottom up). The reason you are getting all those pups on your pineapple is the butterflies are pollinating the flower blooms turning each pollinated ovary into a new pineapple pup. A pineapple we eat are all unpollinated ovaries. Put a bag or plastic over the pineapple ovaries when they are about to bloom to keep the butterflies away. Then use Gold Bond anti-itch cream on all your scratches from the dang spines:)

Lou

I plant also and for 4 years finally bear fruit.but i was amazed coz its my first time to see pineapple had bloom flowers around on it..

Some night critter ate my beginning-to-form pineapple 3 years ago. Should I give up and dig it out? (Hope blooms eternal.)

Mine is doing the same thing!!!! This is the first time I've gotten fruit and I've been watching it like a hawk. This morning I noticed the flowers. All 4 of my pineapple plants have fruit this year. I've had them all for about 3-4 years. Can't wait to see if they get big enough to eat.

That's awesome Amy!! Good luck, I'm sure you will be eating fresh pineapple in a few months. Keep critters away when they start to get bigger :o)

Well, I didn't "dig it up" 7 months ago. It is now growing a nice pineapple - and I'm wishing for flowers on it! But, I haven't seen any of the many butterflies here this rain-less early summer paying any attention to the pineapple.

Even if the fruits are small, they should still be edible. I grow from tops and the fruits are always rather small - maybe 1 or 2 servings.