28 Pineapple Trivia Questions to Test Your Fruit Knowledge

From tropical origins in South America to becoming a global symbol of hospitality, the pineapple has a rich history filled with surprising facts and fascinating stories. Known for its unique growth, delicious flavor, and even its special enzymes, this fruit has captured the imagination of cultures worldwide. Whether you’re a pineapple lover or just curious, these 28 pineapple trivia questions will deepen your appreciation and make your next slice even sweeter.

1. Question: Botanically speaking, what kind of fruit is a pineapple?
Answer: A berry.

2. Question: What is the scientific name of the pineapple, and what does it mean in Tupi, the native language of Brazil?
Answer: Ananas comosus, meaning “tufted excellent fruit.”

3. Question: How long can a single pineapple plant live and continue producing fruit?
Answer: Up to 50 years.

4. Question: What enzyme found in pineapples is known for its anti-inflammatory properties?
Answer: Bromelain.

5. Question: In which region of the world did early European explorers first find pineapples growing?
Answer: The West Indies.

6. Question: What were pineapples used for in the West Indies before European contact?
Answer: Food and wine making.

7. Question: Which European nation played a major role in the early spread of the pineapple to other parts of the world?
Answer: Portugal.

8. Question: Which island did the Portuguese introduce the pineapple to shortly after discovering it in 1502?
Answer: Saint Helena.

9. Question: How many flowers typically fuse together to form one pineapple fruit?
Answer: Between 100 and 200 individual flowers.

10. Question: Name three modern countries that are major growers of pineapple today.
Answer: Costa Rica, Brazil, and Thailand (also acceptable: China and India).

11. Question: What year marks the first recorded use of the word “pineapple” in the English language?
Answer: 1398.

12. Question: What did the word “pineapple” originally refer to in English before it was applied to the fruit?
Answer: The reproductive organs of conifer trees (pine cones).

13. Question: How long can it take for a pineapple plant to fully grow and mature?
Answer: Up to 3 years.

14. Question: Which country produces and harvests the majority of the world’s pineapples today?
Answer: Costa Rica.

15. Question: What is the Hawaiian name for pineapple, and what does it mean?
Answer: Hala kahiki, meaning “foreign hala.”

16. Question: When did the last pineapple cannery in Hawaii, operated by Del Monte, shut down?
Answer: In 2006.

17. Question: When does the pineapple harvesting season typically occur in Hawaii?
Answer: Between March and July.

18. Question: Over its lifetime, how many pineapples can a single plant produce, assuming one per year?
Answer: 50 pineapples.

19. Question: What unique world record does the Dole Plantation in Hawaii hold?
Answer: It has the largest Pineapple Garden Maze in the world.

20. Question: In southern Germany and Austria, what unusual nickname is sometimes given to large strawberries?
Answer: Pineapples (to distinguish them from wild strawberries).

21. Question: What are some minor ailments that bromelain in pineapples can help relieve?
Answer: Swellings and muscle injuries.

22. Question: Approximately how long does it take from planting a pineapple seedling to harvesting its fruit?
Answer: Over a year.

23. Question: In a German sports idiom, what does the term “golden pineapple” refer to?
Answer: A joking term for a victory that is practically certain.

24. Question: What unusual gardening technique was used to grow a British pineapple allegedly worth £10,000?
Answer: Traditional Victorian techniques, including horse manure (at the Lost Gardens of Heligan in Cornwall).

25. Question: Where was the world’s heaviest pineapple grown, and how much did it weigh?
Answer: Papua New Guinea; it weighed 8.06 kg (17 lb 12 oz).

26. Question: What gas can be used to artificially induce pineapple plants to flower, and where was this first discovered?
Answer: Ethylene, originally discovered to trigger flowering via smoke on the Azores Islands.

27. Question: What is the most common method for propagating pineapples, and what are the four plant parts used?
Answer: Cloning (vegetative reproduction), using the crown, slips, suckers, and shoots.

28. Question: What strong fiber is extracted from pineapple leaves, and what is it used for?
Answer: Piña, which is used to make traditional Filipino textiles.