Citrus fruits are mostly easy to recognize for their remarkable sizes. More than that, they are the most popular species in the family of plants known as Rutaceae. The fruits grow in evergreen shrubs or trees. The bushes are capable of growing to a height of between 5cm and 16cm. Citrus trees also tend to have erect stems. They are greenish too. Their branches are full of pines. That last characteristic might convince you to imagine that pineapples are in this category of fruits also. This article should help to provide the information that you need.
Horticultural Perspective
Look for around ten people. Ask them if pineapples are citrus fruits, and you are likely to come out of the interviews more confused than before. That is because half of the people will tell you that it is a citrus fruit as the other half says it isn’t. To answer this question, you would need to consider the horticultural perspective first. In this regard, it would be prudent to start by evaluating the family to which pineapples belong. Scientists classify them within the Bromeliad family. Fruits in this family are renowned for long-pointed colored leaves.
For its part, you will not find citrus in the Bromeliad family. Instead, you will find it taking its pride of place as part of the Rutaceae family of plants. Citrus fruits are evergreen. They are also multi-flowered. Usually, the fruits comprise singular, specialized berries. When talking about citrus fruits, you will never find a combination of various berries growing together. Furthermore, members of its family often ripe even after you have picked them from their trees. The family that pineapples belong never ripens after pulling them from their own trees.
Other differences are:
- Citrus fruits are full of seeds whereas pineapples have no seeds
- Citrus fruits propagate and reproduce through seeds while pineapples depend on slips and suckers
- Each pineapple plant produces only one pineapple fruit while a single citrus plant produces many fruits
Similarities
Furthermore, citrus trees produce fruit from their branches. That is in sharp contrast to pineapples, which are their trees’ stems. Despite these differences, it is easy to see why many people would have no qualms about classifying pineapples as citrus fruits. After all, the pineapples are just as acidic as any other type of fruit that you will ever find in the citrus group. Moreover, people who pick pineapples for a living have no fingerprints worth boasting of, as the acidity in the fruits eradicates them all away. Pineapples are just as acidic as citrus fruits.
In addition to that, pineapples are also rich in citric acid. As you may have rightfully concluded, citric acid is also in plenty in citrus fruits. Without the citric acid, neither pineapples nor citrus fruits will have the tart flavor for which they are famous all over the world. In many other aspects, such as use in cooking, taste, and flavor, you would be right to conclude that the two are in the same family. Additionally, citrus fruits need freezing just as much as pineapples to ensure that their jello doesn’t solidify. Apart from freezing, you could boil these fruits too.
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