Growth Habit: The pineapple plant is an herbaceous perennial , 70 – 150 cm high with a spread of 90-120 cm. It is essentially a short, stout stem with a rosette of waxy, strap-like leaves that have spines at the tips and margins.

Foliage: The long-pointed leaves are 50-180 cm long, usually needle tipped and generally bearing sharp, upcurved spines on the margins. They may be all green or variously striped with red, yellow or ivory down the middle or near the margins. As the stem continues to grow, it acquires at its apex a compact tuft of stiff, short leaves called the crown or top. Occasionally a plant may bear 2 or more heads instead of the normal one.

Flowers: At blooming time, the stem elongates and enlarges near the apex and puts forth an inflorescence of small purple or red flowers. The flowers are pollinated by birds, and these flowers usually develop small, hard seeds. Seeds are generally not found in commercially grown pineapple. The apex of the flower is vegetative, becoming the "crown" on the fruit, which can be used for propagation.

Flowering is induced by chemical/ ethylene exposure when plants are 6-12 months (30-leaf stage). Ethephon, NAA (induces ethylene ), calcium carbide (generator), and BOH (ß-hydroxyethyl hydrazine) are used commercially.

Flowers are self-sterile, but seedless fruit are set parthenocarpically. If flowers are pollinated, a few hard seeds (undesirable) may be found in the fruit. The flowers have been reported to be pollinated by humming birds in S. America.

Fruit: The oval to cylindrical-shaped, compound fruit develops from many small fruits fused together. It is both juicy and fleshy with the stem serving as the fibrous core. The tough, waxy rind may be dark green, yellow, orange-yellow or reddish when the fruit is ripe. The rind is made up of hexagonal "eyes", arranged spirally . The flesh ranges from nearly white to yellow. The fruits may measure are up to 30 cm long and weigh 0.4 – 4 kg. One fruit per plant is produced.

Plants are vegetatively propagated from crowns ("tops") and slips (side shoots arise in an older leaf axil). The size of the crown/slip may affect yield - medium to large crowns give highest yield. Plants for establishing new fields are obtained from old fields after harvest, prior to clearing or burning. Plants generally produce fruit in 15-18 months from transplanting. Fruiting can be forced when the plant is mature by using acetylene gas or a spray of calcium carbide solution (30g to 4L water), which produces acetylene. Or calcium carbide (10 -12 grains) can be deposited in the crown of the plant to be dissolved by rain.

Pineapples are restricted to tropical lowlands, with temperatures of 18-35°C and an annual rainfall of 500-3000 mm. Pineapple is relatively drought-tolerant, and can be grown in areas receiving as little as 100 cm per year. Pineapple grows well in well-drained sandy loams. pH 4.5-6.5 are best.

Pineapple can be grown on almost any types of soil but they must be well drained. The crop is especially well adapted to acidic soils where soil-borne diseases are reduced at pH of 4.5-5.5. Soils with pH greater than 7.0 should be avoided. Where rainfall is high or soils are not well drained, soil management techniques such as ridging must be used to improve drainage. Pineapple tolerates low soil fertility as well as high levels of soluble aluminium and manganese . High organic matter and potassium levels are desirable for optimum production. Pineapple has been known to grow successfully on several types of marginal soils notably peat as well as acid sulphate and bris (sandy) soils.

The important climatic factors to consider in growing pineapples in Malaysia are temperature, rainfall, relative humidity and sunshine.

Pineapples grow and produce best under warm and relatively uniform temperatures throughout the year. It needs a sunny climate, though there are no exact figures on hours of sunshine or amount of solar radiation required. Bright and long hours of sunshine are necessary for vigorous plant growth and buildup of high sugar content in quality fruits. Pineapple is suitably grown in the lowlands where humidity is high and temperatures exceed 20 0 C. The optimum temperature requirement for the crop growth is about 30 0 C. The optimum annual rainfall range is between 1,000 to 1,500 mm although the crop has been known to grow successfully in areas with annual rainfall between 500 mm to 5,500 mm.

With good adaptation to drought, the crop may be grown without irrigation, in areas normally unsuited for many other crops. The fruit quality of pineapple in drier areas may be better because of higher sugar accumulation. However, during extended periods of drought in these areas, irrigation may be required to maintain good growth and development.

The pineapple is native to southern Brazil and Paraguay . It was spread by the Indians up through South and Central America to the West Indies before Columbus arrived. In 1493 Columbus found the fruit on the island of Guadaloupe and carried it back to Spain . It was spread around the world on sailing ships that carried it for protection against scurvy. The Spanish introduced it into the Philippines and may have taken it to Hawaii and Guam early in the 16th Century. The pineapple reached England in 1660 and was grown in greenhouses for its fruit around 1720.

Pineapple was first canned in 1888 in Malaya; exports from Singapore began in 1900. Southeast Asia still dominates world production today.