After about two years the stem of the original plant is flowering now.
It was almost dead due to competition of a robust weed.
I took the weed with diffuse roots away and the stem of the pineapple plant was rotten due to competition for nutrition.
I thought it might die and just placed it between other plants and put plenty of water.
Below are things I did not know but discovered during the last two years.
1. Even though I knew that the crown of the fruit can be used to grow it, I did not know what happens to the mother plant when the fruit is separated.
2. I did not know its leaves can be used to make a fine silk like thread (it is in fact finer than the silk thread) and prepare fabrics.
3. It grows very slow and one can have only one fruit a year.
4. It has a very beautiful flower.The colour varying from lavender to purple to red
5. Its roots do not go deep.
6. I did not know from which part of the tropics it originated. Now I know it is from South America.
7. Mother plant produce shoots called suckers once the fruit is removed. They can be used to grow new plants.
8. I do not know how many shoots / suckers it makes certainly more than one.
9. I did not know other plants with diffuse root system compete with its growth and lot of chemical are used in commercial growing.
10. I did not know the fruit is rich in manganese.
