Trader Joe’s Pineapple Plants Are Back in Stores

Maybe the ongoing heat waves across the U.S. put Trader Joe’s in a tropical state of mind, or perhaps the grocery chain remembered how much fun shoppers had last year. Whatever the cause, pineapple plants are officially back at select Trader Joe’s stores — and they might be the coolest house plant you pick up all year.

These ornamental pineapple plants, which retail between $13 and $16 depending on your Trader Joe’s location, already come with a baby pineapple peeking from the top. These plants love a lot of sunlight, so make sure you put the pot in a sun-washed window or on your patio or porch (just beware — critters might try to eat your pineapple!).

And, like the many different succulent plants Trader Joe’s sells, these pineapple plants don’t need much water. Just dampen the soil when it’s completely dry all the way through to avoid plaguing the plant with root rot or pests.

Each of these ornamental pineapple plants will produce one pineapple fruit during its lifetime. However, the plant also produces offshoots (pups) that can be planted in their own pots and will produce their own pineapples when they grow larger.

Sadly, the pineapples that grow from these plants likely won’t reach maturity and therefore shouldn’t be eaten. And if you try to eat the fruit before it’s ripe enough, you could experience some gastrointestinal issues or throat discomfort, so it’s best to treat the plant as it’s advertised: as ornamental.

If your Trader Joe’s location sells out of the plants before you get there, you can try your hand at propagating your own. Just buy a pineapple at the store, chop off the leafy top, and place it in some water. You’ll have roots before you know it!

Picking up one of these pineapple plants will definitely give your plant collection that unexpected element. It’s not every day you see a pineapple growing in a pot!