Trader Joe's Mini Pineapple Plants Are a Summer Must-Have (2024)

You can't eat them, but they'll look great on your counter.

Christina Montoya Fiedler is a Los Angeles-based parenting, food, and lifestyle writer with over 15 years of experience. She is a mom to two boys, ages 13 and 8.

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Published on July 31, 2023

Trader Joe's Mini Pineapple Plants Are a Summer Must-Have (2)

If you’re looking to bring some tropical flair to your living room, Trader Joe’s has just the thing. The popular mini-pineapple plant is back for the summer, and you can snag one for just $13-$16, depending on your store’s location.

Also known as pineapple bromeliad, the ornamental pineapple plant likes direct sunlight and only needs to be watered once a week. They are one of a few dozen pineapple plants that are cultivated for their looks and not to produce edible fruit. So no, you can’t eat them, but they sure are pretty to look at.

Instagram user @mireboyd posted a picture of her dog posing next to one of the plants with the caption, “Look what I found!” And indeed, it was a lucky find, as stores are already selling out of these cute plants.

No pineapple plants at Trader Joes? No problem. TikToker Armen Adamjen (@creative_explained) offers this solution. “When you buy a pineapple from the store, don’t throw out the top. Instead, what you want to do is twist off the top, then carefully pull out the bottom four layers of leaves, leave it out for a few days to dry, then place it hovering in a glass of water.” Eventually, it will grow roots, and you can plant it to grow your very own pineapple plant.

He advises that you water it only when the soil has dried out from the previous watering.

The mini-pineapple is just one of many popular plants Trader Joe’s released this summer. The minivan planter and the carnivorous mini pitcher plant were also a big hit with customers.