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Associated Press
Jenny Christiansen, 9, of Jackson Township, Ohio, shows off
her potted pineapple plant. Growing pineapples has been a tradition
in Jenny's family ever since her grandparents planted
their own, nearly 30 years ago.

Hawaii pineapple’s
offspring thriving in Ohio

Associated Press

CANTON, Ohio -- Pineapples are tropical. Ohio is not.

But a pineapple the size of a pine cone and three buds are evident at 9-year-old Jenny Christiansen's home in Jackson Township, near Canton, in northeast Ohio.

"It's been like being in Hawaii," said Jenny, a third-grader at Sauder School, sitting in the sun room where her potted pineapple plant is set.

The art of growing the prickly fruit was passed down from Jenny's grandparents, Jim and Jean Mossor, also of Jackson Township, who took a trip to Hawaii 30 years ago and brought a case of pineapples home.

Although not many people in Ohio are likely to try it, it is possible to grow a pineapple plant indoors using the crown of a purchased pineapple.

One day, Jean Mossor said she and her husband decided to see if they could grow the plant on their own. They did.

The tradition was passed on to Jenny's mother, Kelly. Four years ago, they passed the pineapple planting on to Jenny.

Jenny said there really is no secret to how she cares for the pineapple plant. Just some water and soil and a new pot when it outgrows its smaller one.

She hasn't decided whether she'll eat the pineapple when it gets ripe. "I don't know," she said. "My brother wants to eat it."

So far, her only plans are to keep the family's pineapple tradition going. "It's kind of cool to have a pineapple plant in Ohio," she said.

ON THE NET: How to grow pineapple: http://agrss.sherman.hawaii.edu/pineapple/pinegrow.htm