The University of Hawaii calls the pineapple one of the most exotic fruits in the world. The plant's spiky shape makes for a potted houseplant with a striking appearance, to say nothing of the juicy fruit that the plant will produce after a couple of years of growth. Grow a potted pineapple plant from one of the fruits purchased in any grocery store to create a conversation-starting potted plant collection.
Grab the pineapple fruit in one hand and its foliage crown in the other hand. Twist the fruit and crown in opposite directions to twist off the crown.
Cut off any pieces of fruit that may be clinging to the bottom of the crown.
Pluck off the bottom leaves of the crown to expose approximately an inch of the stem. Trim off the bottom of the stem with a knife until you see little round bumps along the inside edge of the stem. These are root buds which will grow into roots, according to the University of Hawaii.
Fill a gallon-sized pot--the University of Hawaii recommends a pot with a diameter of at least 12 inches--with commercially prepared potting soil. If you don't have potting soil on hand, mix your own by combining equal parts of garden loam, compost or peat moss, and coarse sand.
Plant the pineapple crown. Sink the bottom of the crown into the soil and water twice a day or as needed to keep the soil moist. New leaves will typically begin emerging within a month, signifying the plant has taken root.
Water the pineapple. Pineapples require approximately 2/5 inch of water per week, or enough to moisten the soil to a depth of 6 to 8 inches. The University of Hawaii recommends applying water to the plant once every seven days.
Set the potted plant in the sun. Pineapples thrive in full sunlight with seven or eight hours of sunshine per day.
Fertilize the pineapple plant. Texas A&M University recommends using any standard houseplant fertilize, applied to the pineapple plant every two to three months.