Commercial production is mostly based on clones in the 'Cayenne' group, also known as 'Smooth Cayenne' because the leaf margins lack spines. Description Pineapples have narrow, tapering, pointed leaves up to 100 cm long arranged in a spiral rosettes that tightly clasp a central stem. Leaf margins are usually lacking spines in Smooth Cayenne while spines are present in clones of the Spanish group. In Smooth Cayenne, the inflorescence consists of 100 to 200 flowers arranged in a compact spiral cluster. The flowers are perfect, with a floral bract, three short fleshy sepals and petals, six stamens, and an inferior ovary with three locules.
Commercial clones are self-sterile but cross easily with plants in other groups.
The fruit is a terminal, cylindrical, compound structure at the apex of the stem and is formed by the fusion of the berrylike fruitlets that develop from the flowers. At its apex, the fruit bears a compressed, leafy shoot called a crown. Flowering Flower initiation takes place at the terminal axis of the stem. The red inflorescence is clearly visible below the opening. Opening of the first flower occurs several days after the late cone stage, and blue flower petals can be seen at the bottom of the cone-shaped inflorescence.