Pineapple Facts - What's in a name?
The various historical and botanical names for pineapple provide some great insight into the origins, attributes and popular myths surrounding pineapples.
The pineapple plant belongs to the family of the Bromelia. While most Bromeliads grow on trees, the pineapple is a ground fruit.
- Botanical name: Ananas comosus (Bromeliaceae), a member of the Bromelia family. Bromelian is an active digestive enzyme.
- “Anana” – the name used in most European countries is derived from the language of the Guarani Indians of Paraguay. “A” signified any fruit and “nana” meant excellent.
- “Pine de Indies” – the Spanish name for pineapple due to its resemblance to a pine cone. It is thought that some of the attributes of the pine cone, which symbolizes fertility, were transferred to the pineapple and have been adopted by popular pineapple culture
- “Pineapple” – the English were responsible for this name when it was introduced in the 17th century. They used the Spanish “pina” as it looked like a pine cone and added “apple” to associate it with juicy fruits.
So there you have it; an excellent, juicy fruit with superb digestive properties and a symbol of fertility!
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