Pineapples and "bromeliads" ripen and hit the market after March: what are the differences between the two?

In the past, the fruits and vegetables people ate changed with the seasons, but now off-season fruits and vegetables are everywhere. So do you know when the in-season pineapple usually ripens and hits the market? And what are the differences between it and the pineapple (bromeliad)?

1. Basic facts about the pineapple

1. The origin of the pineapple

The pineapple is a well-known tropical fruit, native to the tropical regions of the Americas, and it is cultivated in China's Guangdong, Taiwan, China, Guangxi, Hainan, Fujian and Yunnan and other regions. It entered China in the early 16th century, and because the pointed green leaves resemble a phoenix tail, it was named "fengli" (phoenix pear). It is also called bolo, bolo peel, grass pineapple, ground pineapple and so on.

2. The morphology of the pineapple

The pineapple has short stems and leaves, and most of the leaves are arranged in a rosette pattern. The leaves are sword-shaped with tapering tips, green on the upper surface and powdery pink-green on the underside, with sharp teeth along the edges; the inflorescence of the pineapple emerges from the leaf cluster and is shaped like a pinecone, and the flowering period can last from summer all the way until winter before ending.

3. The value of the pineapple

The pineapple is rich in sugars, protein, vitamins and so on. It has the effects of clearing heat and relieving summer heat, promoting fluid production and quenching thirst, promoting urination, and aiding weight loss and health care. It can treat symptoms such as summer heatstroke, fever with restlessness and thirst, abdominal stuffiness, indigestion, difficult urination, and dizziness and blurred vision. In addition, besides being sold for fresh eating, the pineapple can be deeply processed into canned goods, alcohol, MSG, citric acid and so on, making it a very good planting project.

2. What are the differences between the pineapple and the pineapple (bromeliad)?

As the in-season fruit of March, the pineapple and the pineapple (bromeliad) are the main fruits in fruit shops, but their similar appearance confuses many people. Although biologically they are the same thing, what are the differences?

1. The difference in names between the pineapple and the pineapple (bromeliad)

The most obvious difference between the two is probably the name. Although they belong to the same Bromeliaceae family, one is called "fengli" and the other is called "bolo"; moreover, "fengli" can also be called bolo, grass pineapple and so on, but "bolo" is at most called yellow pear;

2. The difference in appearance between the pineapple and the pineapple (bromeliad)

First, the leaves of the pineapple are shorter than those of the pineapple (bromeliad), and the serrations along the leaf edges are not as obvious as those of the pineapple (bromeliad); second, the skin color of the pineapple is lighter than that of the pineapple (bromeliad): the pineapple is light green, while the pineapple (bromeliad) is yellow, and the yellower the pineapple (bromeliad), the sweeter it is; furthermore, the fruit eyes on the rind of the pineapple are shallower than those of the pineapple (bromeliad), and the fruit grooves on the pineapple (bromeliad) are deeper than those of the pineapple;

3. The difference in eating between the pineapple and the pineapple (bromeliad)

After peeling, the pineapple does not need its fruit spines removed and can be eaten directly; after peeling the pineapple (bromeliad), the spines inside the flesh still need to be removed, and then it must be sliced and soaked in salt water before it can be eaten;

4. The difference in sweetness between the pineapple and the pineapple (bromeliad)

Generally, the pineapple is sweeter than the pineapple (bromeliad), and its central core can also be eaten, with no numbing sensation when eaten.

5. The difference in price between the pineapple and the pineapple (bromeliad)

The price of the pineapple on the market is generally much higher than that of the pineapple (bromeliad). Below are the prices of the pineapple (bromeliad) and the pineapple from several regions for your reference.

Although there are so many differences between the pineapple and the pineapple (bromeliad), in fact they are just two different cultivars of the same species, so do not think anymore that the pineapple and the pineapple (bromeliad) are two plants; it is merely different cultivars that cause the differences described above.

Finally, I would like to remind everyone that although the pineapple is very sweet and eating it directly does not cause a numbing sensation, the flesh of the pineapple, a different cultivar of the same species as the pineapple (bromeliad), likewise contains irritating glycoside substances and bromelain, which also irritate our oral mucosa. So whether it is a pineapple or a pineapple (bromeliad), before eating it is best to cut it into pieces and soak it in salt water for a while before eating.