TO KNOW OUR FRUITS/PLANTS 12

PINEAPPLE, ANANAS COMOSUS, BROMELIACEAE.

In Malay, it is known as buah nanas.

It is originated from South America. The name nanas in Malay is derived from Indian Language, that is nana.

It is a collective fruit, that is it developes from a whole inflorescence with many flowers and not from a single flower as for durian.

In cultivation, good varieties of pineapple seldom produce seeds, hence, there are propagated vegetatively. Such reproduction also ensures uniformity of the variety. The seeds, when formed, are normally used for the production of new variety.

There are many cultivated varieties of pineapple. The most important commercial varieties in Malaysia fall into two groups - those for canning (nanas merah nad nanas hijau) and those for eating raw (nanas Sarawak and nanas Moris). The fruits for nanas Sarawak are medium-sized with pale yellow flesh and thick central core. Those of Nanas Moris are small, with fairly bright yellow flesh and thin central woody core. They are usually very sweet and perhaps the best for desert.

The fruits also forms one of the main ingredients of a local salad preparationcalled rojak. It also makes excellent jam.

ref: Malaysian Fruits In Colour (H.F. Chin & H.S. Yong)