Why is pineapple welcome symbol

The Aloha State produces one-third of the world's pineapples and 60 percent of canned pineapple products. This, however, is a relatively recent phenomenon. Pineapples originally came from South America, likely Brazil or Paraguay. They may have arrived in Hawaii by way of the West Indies, where Columbus first tasted them, as early as the 16th century. Large-scale production didn't begin until the late s.

Nonetheless, today in America, people are likely to associate the image of pineapples with luaus, tropical cocktails and Hawaiian print shirts, not with glamorous parties. Pineapples still make appearances in places when a good dose of hospitality is needed. They are sometimes included in housewarming fruit baskets, for example.

You can still see numerous pineapple carvings in places where historic architecture has been preserved, too. In tourist-welcoming Charleston, for example, a former shipping center and an especially pineapple-rich city, pineapple carvings and other representations are found throughout the city.

Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Two favorite pineapple locations were the pediment or transom over the front door, and finials on or around the front gate.

Colonial America fell in love with the pineapple, and over time its symbolic message of hospitality remained with us. Today the motif is still celebrated as a design element — in architecture, as well as through embellishments on furniture, china, ornaments and linens.

All Rights Reserved. The Welcoming Pineapple Lynn Means. Photo Credit: Lynn Means Once a rare, expensive delicacy, the pineapple is now used as a unique, affordable — and tasty — way to bring warmth and hospitality into the home.

Photo Credit: Lynn Means. Sign Up for our Weekly Newsletter. Next Steps Grow Your Own Pineapple Instead of tossing the top of your pineapple in the trash, turn it into a tasty treasure! Once rooted and with a little patience , pineapple is an easy-to-grow tropical plant that can reward you and your family with sweet fruit for years to come!

Read on to learn exactly how the pineapple transcended the world of food completely and came to symbolize good old Southern hospitality itself in the town of Charleston, South Carolina. The story of the Charleston pineapple goes back to the time of Christopher Columbus. It is said on his second expedition to what would become the New World, he learned of the pineapple.

Then, Columbus brought samples of the fruit back to Europe. It was an instant hit, as most fruits were fairly uncommon, as most things sugary and sweet were during this time. The story of the pineapple leads back to Charleston in its early colonial days when it was a prominent port city. Because the fruit represented the exotic lands captains sailed to, it became a symbol in and of itself of places far away.

As part of this, sailors coming home from long voyages would spear a pineapple to symbolize they had arrived safely. It was also an open invitation for neighbors to come and enjoy a meal or drink to exchange stories. The pineapple continued to be a huge sensation in North and South America, and the colonies simply couldn't get enough of it. It wasn't an easy fruit to get your hands on. It took years to grow , and it only grew in tropical regions.