Pineapple
Solanum lycopersicum 'Pineapple'
This stunning bicolor heirloom creates a tropical sunset on your plate with yellow fruits streaked with red and pink, living up to its name with a sweet, fruity flavor that's absolutely unique among tomatoes. Originally from Kentucky, these massive beefsteak beauties are conversation starters that taste as exotic as they look. They're perfect for gardeners who want to grow something truly special that guests will remember long after the meal.
Harvest
85-95d
Days to harvest
Sun
Full sun
Zones
10–11
USDA hardiness
Height
1-10 feet
Planting Timeline
Showing dates for Pineapple in USDA Zone 7
All Zone 7 tomato →Zone Map
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Pineapple · Zones 10–11
Growing Details
Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar
| Zone | Indoor Start | Transplant | Direct Sow | Harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zone 3 | April – April | June – July | — | September – October |
| Zone 4 | March – April | June – June | — | September – October |
| Zone 5 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 6 | March – March | May – June | — | August – October |
| Zone 7 | February – March | April – May | — | August – October |
| Zone 8 | February – February | April – May | — | July – September |
| Zone 9 | January – January | March – April | — | June – August |
| Zone 10 | January – January | February – March | — | June – August |
| Zone 1 | May – May | July – August | — | October – August |
| Zone 2 | April – May | June – July | — | October – September |
| Zone 11 | January – January | January – February | — | May – July |
| Zone 12 | January – January | January – February | — | May – July |
| Zone 13 | January – January | January – February | — | May – July |
Complete Growing Guide
The Pineapple tomato demands consistent warmth and patience—don't rush transplants into cool soil, as this heirloom resents temperatures below 65°F and will sulk or fail to set fruit. These large indeterminate plants require sturdy support systems and generous spacing to maximize air circulation, critical for preventing fungal diseases like early blight that exploit their dense foliage. The low-acid genetics that create their tropical sweetness also make them slightly more susceptible to cracking during irregular watering, so maintain steady moisture rather than alternating between wet and dry cycles. Their long growing season means starting seeds 8–10 weeks before your last frost date is essential to capture their full flavor potential before season's end. One invaluable practice: prune lower leaves once plants are established to improve air flow around the dense canopy and reduce disease pressure while directing energy toward fruit development.
Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage, Moist. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 10 ft. 0 in.. Spread: 1 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 3 feet-6 feet. Growth rate: Rapid. Maintenance: High. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.
Harvesting
Harvest Pineapple tomatoes when the yellow base color is fully developed with distinct red and pink streaking throughout the skin, and the fruit yields slightly to gentle pressure but remains firm. These massive beefsteak fruits typically reach full maturity between 85-95 days and signal peak readiness when they're noticeably heavy for their size. Unlike single-harvest varieties, Pineapple produces continuously throughout the season if you pick ripe fruits regularly, encouraging further flowering and fruiting. For optimal flavor development, wait until the fruits show deep color saturation rather than picking at the first blush of ripeness, as the complex, tropical sweetness requires additional days on the vine.
The fruits are smooth, shiny, glossy, and are classified as berries. The size, shape, and color will vary depending on the variety or cultivar. The color of the fruits may be red, yellow, orange, green, purple, or pink. The fruits may contain over 100 yellow to light brown seeds.
Color: Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Pink, Purple/Lavender, Red/Burgundy, Variegated. Type: Berry. Length: > 3 inches. Width: > 3 inches.
Garden value: Edible, Showy
Harvest time: Fall, Summer
Edibility: The fruits or berries of the tomato are edible. They may be eaten raw, cooked, dried, or processed. They are a rich source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, folic acid, and antioxidants. Lycopene is an antioxidant that gives the tomato its rich red color. Many plants will drop fruit when ripe or the fruit will come off easily. Tomatoes will continue to ripen once picked. Store them at room temperature.
Storage & Preservation
Store freshly harvested Pineapple tomatoes at room temperature away from direct sunlight if eating within a few days, or refrigerate at 50–55°F with 85–90% humidity in a breathable container for extended storage. Avoid temperatures below 50°F, which damages flavor and texture in this variety. Fresh fruit keeps about two weeks under refrigeration before quality declines.
For preservation, freezing works well for cooking applications—core and quarter before freezing whole, or make sauce. Canning is reliable; use hot water bath processing for whole peeled tomatoes or crushed preparations. Drying concentrates the already complex sweetness; slice horizontally to showcase the interior pattern and sun-dry or use a dehydrator at 135°F until leathery. Because of the low acidity, always follow tested safe canning recipes or add citric acid.
The large bicolor interior pattern remains attractive when sliced fresh, so reserve prime specimens for immediate eating and showcase in salads before storing.
History & Origin
The Pineapple tomato's origins trace to Kentucky heirloom gardening traditions, though detailed breeder documentation remains limited in published records. This bicolor beefsteak emerged from regional seed-saving practices rather than formal institutional breeding programs, characteristic of many American heirloom varieties that spread through gardener networks and local seed exchanges. The variety likely developed through natural selection and intentional crosses among red and yellow beefsteak types popular in mid-twentieth-century Kentucky gardens. Its distinctive yellow-red striping reflects the genetic heritage of earlier bicolor tomatoes, though the specific parentage and selection history have not been formally documented in agricultural archives, leaving its exact development story embedded primarily in family gardening oral history.
Origin: Peru
Advantages
- +Stunning bicolor appearance with yellow and red streaking creates memorable table presentations
- +Unique sweet, fruity, tropical flavor profile with low acidity stands out distinctly
- +Large beefsteak size produces substantial yields per plant for dedicated gardeners
- +Complex flavor and exotic look make excellent conversation starters for garden visitors
Considerations
- -Moderate difficulty requires experienced growers to manage multiple disease vulnerabilities successfully
- -Susceptible to late blight, early blight, and fusarium wilt in humid conditions
- -Fruits prone to cracking and blossom end rot with inconsistent watering patterns
- -Attracts multiple major pests including hornworms, aphids, whiteflies, and stink bugs
Companion Plants
Basil is the companion most people reach for with tomatoes, and the two do share similar water and fertility needs — they won't undercut each other in the same bed. Marigolds, specifically French marigolds (Tagetes patula), are more defensible: their root secretions suppress root-knot nematodes, which can quietly wreck an heirloom like 'Pineapple' before you notice anything above ground. Nasturtiums pull double duty as a trap crop for aphids, drawing colonies onto themselves and off your fruit. Carrots planted at 6–8 inches away break up the soil around tomato roots without competing for the same nutrients.
Fennel produces allelopathic compounds that stunt most vegetables, and tomatoes are among the more sensitive — keep it at least 10 feet away or out of the garden entirely. Brassicas are a subtler problem: they draw different pest populations that can drift over, and they compete for calcium in the same pH range where 'Pineapple' is already running tight. Corn is worth avoiding too — it shares fungal disease pressure with tomatoes and attracts earworms that won't stay put once the corn is done.
Plant Together
Basil
Repels aphids, whiteflies, and hornworms while potentially improving tomato flavor
Marigolds
Repel nematodes, whiteflies, and other harmful insects
Carrots
Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients
Parsley
Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps
Chives
Repel aphids and may improve tomato growth and flavor
Nasturtiums
Act as trap crop for aphids and cucumber beetles
Lettuce
Provides ground cover and utilizes space efficiently without competing
Peppers
Share similar growing requirements and pest management needs
Keep Apart
Black Walnut
Produces juglone toxin that causes tomato wilt and stunted growth
Fennel
Inhibits growth through allelopathic compounds
Brassicas
Compete for nutrients and may stunt tomato growth
Corn
Both attract corn earworm/tomato hornworm, increasing pest pressure
Nutrition Facts
Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #168171)
Pests & Disease Resistance
Resistance
Limited disease resistance, prone to cracking in wet conditions
Common Pests
Tomato hornworm, aphids, whiteflies, stink bugs
Diseases
Late blight, early blight, cracking, blossom end rot, fusarium wilt
Troubleshooting Pineapple
What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.
Dark, water-soaked blotches spreading across foliage and fruit within a few days, leaves collapsing gray-green before they can yellow
Likely Causes
- Late blight (Phytophthora infestans) — spreads fast in cool, wet nights above 50°F and humid days
- Overhead irrigation or prolonged rain keeping foliage wet for 10+ hours
What to Do
- 1.Pull and bag affected plants immediately — don't compost them; late blight can spread to neighboring solanums within 48 hours
- 2.Switch to drip irrigation so foliage stays dry overnight
- 3.Rotate this bed out of all nightshades (tomato, pepper, potato) for at least 3 years; NC State Extension notes some tomato diseases may warrant 5–7 year rotations
Sunken black or brown patch on the bottom of fruit, usually the first few tomatoes of the season
Likely Causes
- Blossom end rot — a calcium deficiency in the developing fruit caused by uneven soil moisture, not usually by low calcium in the soil itself
- Irregular watering: letting the soil dry out between waterings prevents calcium uptake even when Ca is present
What to Do
- 1.Water consistently — 1 to 1.5 inches per week, never letting the top 2 inches go completely dry
- 2.Mulch 3–4 inches deep with straw to buffer soil moisture swings
- 3.Check soil pH; 'Pineapple' wants 6.2–6.8, and calcium availability drops sharply outside that range
Foliage stripped or large irregular holes chewed overnight, with dark green pellet droppings on leaves below
Likely Causes
- Tomato hornworm (Manduca quinquemaculata) — the caterpillars reach 3–4 inches long but match stem color almost perfectly
- Single plants can host 4–6 hornworms at once, each doing significant damage in under a week
What to Do
- 1.Hand-pick at dusk or dawn when they're easier to spot; drop them in soapy water
- 2.If you find hornworms covered in white rice-shaped cocoons, leave those alone — those are braconid wasp eggs, a natural control
- 3.Apply Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) spray to foliage if the infestation is heavy; reapply after rain
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does Pineapple tomato take to grow from seed?▼
Can you grow Pineapple tomatoes in containers?▼
What does Pineapple tomato taste like?▼
Are Pineapple tomatoes good for beginners?▼
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Do Pineapple tomatoes crack easily?▼
Growing Guides from Wind River Greens
Where to Buy Seeds
Sources & References
External authority sources used in compiling this guide.
See the Methodology page for how this data is sourced, what's AI-assisted, and known limitations.