Ananas pingouin, Karatas, Camburito
Bromelia karatas

Family: Bromeliaceae

What it is like

A herb without a stem. The leaves form tufts. The clump can be 3 m across. The leaf blades are 3-5 cm across. At flowering the inner leaves become bright red. The flower stalk arises from the centre of the ring of leaves and the flowers are purplish-pink with white bracts. The fruit are yellow berries shaped like bananas. They are 8 cm long by 2 cm across. They form a clump but are not joined. The pulp has black seeds.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in forests near the edge of savannas.

Countries/locations it is found in

Andes, Brazil, Central America, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Guianas, Mexico, North America, Panama, South America, Suriname, West Indies

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten raw and used for drinks. The very young flowering shoots is sometimes cooked and eaten as a vegetable. The bulbs are cooked and then sun-dried and then pulverised and reduced to flour.

Edible parts

Fruit, flowers, bulbs

How it is grown

Plants are grown from suckers. It can be grown as a hedge.

Its other names

Local names

Chichipo, Chiguichugue, Chiyol, Chom, Curibijil, Curujujul, Pinuela, Piro, Quiribijil

Synonyms

Karatas plumieri Morr.;