I saw this small variegated pineapple plant with a red pineapple growing. Nobody seemed to know what soil to use for it. I heard Cactus, orchid, and regular potting soil. I ended up not buying it because I have no idea how to grow them indoors.

It sounds like you found an ornamental Pineapple. If so it is best left in the pot and soil it came in.

Keep it right close to a very sunny window and water it thoroughly as soon as the surface of the soil feels dry.

If you post a photo, we might be able to provide more assistance.

WillC said:It sounds like you found an ornamental Pineapple. If so it is best left in the pot and soil it came in.

Keep it right close to a very sunny window and water it thoroughly as soon as the surface of the soil feels dry.

If you post a photo, we might be able to provide more assistance.

I don't have a photo, but I would still like to know what new soil to buy for it.

Don't re-pot it, Keith. It should do fine in the pot it came in.

plantmanager said:Don't re-pot it, Keith. It should do fine in the pot it came in.

The pots are broken and too small I have no choice.

I'll look elsewhere for the soil answer.

keithp2012 said:

The pots are broken and too small I have no choice.

I'll look elsewhere for the soil answer.

A good cactus mix will work fine, just has to be well draining, my ornamental red pineapples are in sandy FL soil and do great. Sorry I didn't see your post earlier.

I agree with Sherri. I used cactus mix when I grew them.

Yes, use a well draining media like cacti mix. Pineapples whether ornamental or not, is part of the Bromeliad family, so treat it as a terrestrial Bromeliad.

My terrestrial Bromeliads have very gritty mix, lots of pumice, some compost. It will love lots of humidity, hope you can provide it ample warmth, good light conditions and humidity.

I have now learned to stay away from Pineapples, it is much harder for me to grow them due to our longer dry environment. So I am sticking to cryptanthus for indoor growing.

I've found the same thing, Tarev. No more pineapples for me, but I do love the Cryptanthus.

plantmanager said:I've found the same thing, Tarev. No more pineapples for me, but I do love the Cryptanthus.

Yes, I am glad to have Cryptanthus, it appeases my craving for a Bromeliad. Well, my other option is just to stick with Tillandsias

Yes, I have a lot of bromeliads, but most of them are growing too large to be decent houseplants and they are taking up too much GH space. I need to investigate mini's.

There are some great mini neoregelias, I did not have the space for the larger ones. Some of my neighbors grew the full sized pineapples but they take up too much real estate for me.

Thanks, Alice, I'll have to look for them.

Hi Keith, sorry if it seems we got a bit off topic about dwarf pineapples. But it is just to offer another alternative to growing pineapples, find another type of bromeliad more suited to year round indoor growing, to lessen your own frustration in the long run.