A single pineapple is actually a cluster of up to 200 individual berries fused together into one fruit.

The pineapple, scientifically known as Ananas comosus, is classified as a 'multiple fruit' or collective fruit. This botanical category differs from 'aggregate fruits' like raspberries because the individual fruits develop from many separate flowers clustered on a single stalk. Each flower produces a berry-like fruitlet that eventually fuses with neighboring fruitlets during maturation.The process begins with an inflorescence—a spike-like cluster containing 50 to 200 purple or red flowers arranged in a spiral pattern around a central fibrous core. According to research from the University of Hawaii, each flower typically remains open for just one day, though the entire flowering process for a single plant can span several weeks.As the ovaries of these individual flowers swell, they press tightly against one another and undergo coalescence, a fusion process that creates the characteristic hexagonal 'eyes' or scales visible on the fruit's exterior. These scales are actually the hardened sepals and bracts that once protected the original flowers. The pineapple's central core is the thickened stem of the original flower spike.Cultivated pineapples are typically seedless because they are self-incompatible, meaning they cannot pollinate themselves. In wild settings, hummingbirds or bats pollinate the flowers, which would result in hard, black seeds inside the berries. Today, the 'Smooth Cayenne' variety dominates commercial cultivation, primarily because of its efficient fusion process and high sugar content.