The Mystery Of The Famous Hawaiian Pineapple
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If you’ve ever been to Hawaii, you have more than likely enjoyed a Hawaiian pineapple – one of the most Hawaiian parts of Hawaii! The Hawaiian pineapple is enjoyed by tourists and residents alike as a wonderful piece of island fruit and has become almost synonymous with the islands themselves.
So it may shock you to learn that the Hawaiian pineapple isn’t actually from Hawaii at all! It’s true. The famous Hawaiian pineapple can actually trace its heritage back to the rainforests of South America, where early trade brought the tasty fruit to the island in hopes of providing the early settlers a livelihood. The fruit became incredibly popular, and soon a soaring pineapple industry blossomed. The rest is “hala kahiki” history!
At Shaka Web Design Services, we are big fans of the Hawaiian pineapple, so we decided to dive a bit deeper and learn more about this famous fruit. Here are ten facts you may not have known about the Hawaiian pineapple!
10 Hawaiian Pineapple Facts That Will Blow Your Mind
Ready to impress your friends and family this holiday with your pineapple knowledge? Here are ten facts that you may not have known about your favorite island fruit. (If course, we don’t include “amazingly tasty”
- Did you know that the name pineapple is deceptive? This fruit isn’t an apple, nor is it a pine! In fact, it’s a fruit that grows from the germination of many berries. How’s that for branding?
- The Hawaiian name for the pineapple is “hala kahiki”. This name originates from how the pineapple closely resembles another fruit on the island from the hala tree (also known as the “tourist pineapple!” see image below). To tell them apart, Hawaiians add kahiki – or “foreign” – to the name.
- Did you know that a pineapple is actually the culmination of many berries growing together into a much larger fruit? The process is actually amazing and shows how nature works together to create a stronger and more fruitful fruit!
- How did the pineapple make its way to the Hawaiian Islands? Like many fruits, pineapples were a great way to prevent a sickness known as “scurvy” that would often occur on long ocean voyages. Not only did they have health benefits, but pineapple juice is a great way to clean up the decks of ships!
- Pineapples have a special enzyme within them known as bromelain. Bromelain actually breaks down proteins in your body as you digest the fruit – a scary thought if you imagine the pineapple eating you while you eat it! Fortunately, the bromelain isn’t strong enough to outlast your stomach acid, so you are safe!
- Talk about a long-term relationship. Did you know that it can take anywhere from two years or more for a pineapple plant to produce a single fruit? That’s dedication to art!
- While it may be tempting to plant and grow your own pineapple at home, keep in mind that pineapples flourish in only certain kinds of ecosystems. The Hawaiian pineapple has enjoyed success due to the plants growing at high elevations of nearly 300 meters.
- Want to speed up the process? You can actually help stimulate the pineapple flowering process by using ethylene in smoke to help produce fruit faster. Now forced flowering is utilized across the islands to help keep pineapple stock filled all year round.
- Due to environmental factors and the encroachment of human production on their natural habitats, the pineapple production on the Hawaiian islands has slowed down remarkably in the past decade.
- The famous Hawaiian Pizza may trace its history to Hawaii’s pineapple production. A successor of the Hawaiian dish “Toast Hawaii”, the addition of pineapple to pizza grew in popularity in the mid-1950s, and has enjoyed worldwide popularity ever since.
If someone tells you to look at the pineapple tree then they’re pulling a fast one over you! Pineapples grow low to the ground on individual bushes!
Enjoy A Taste of Hawaii With The Team At Shaka Web Design Services
So, are you amazed by your newfound pineapple wisdom? Were there any facts on our list that you already knew?
At Shaka Web Design Services, not only are we passionate about all things Hawaii, but we are also one of the island’s leading experts on web design and digital marketing. From engaging and responsive website design to online marketing tips and strategies, our team will help your brand and company reach your most valuable customers and supercharge your ROI. Contact us today to learn more about our full suite of services, and while you are at it, let’s share a Hawaiian pineapple – on us!
