Why were pineapples so expensive in the 1700s

Forget Lamborghinis or Instagram yachts. In 18th century Europe, the real status symbol was rough, tropical, and came with a leafy green crown. Yes, pineapples. The fruit that today gets casually chopped into smoothies or slapped on questionable pizzas was once so rare and revered that people literally rented them to carry around at parties. No, they didn’t eat them. That would be barbaric. They displayed them.

Welcome to the golden age of pineapple envy—a time when owning, borrowing or even being seen near one could elevate your social rank faster than you could say “tropical import.”

How Did Pineapples Arrive in Europe?

Pineapples didn’t just stroll into Versailles one day. They had to travel across oceans, suffer weeks at sea, and survive the European climate—which they hated.

Native to South America, pineapples made their way to Europe via the usual suspects: colonisation and trade. Spanish explorers first came across them in the Caribbean in the late 15th century. With their sweet, unfamiliar flavour and spiky exoticism, pineapples immediately caught Europe’s eye. This was a continent that had only just started figuring out how tomatoes worked. A fruit that looked like an alien grenade? Instant fascination.

But transporting them wasn’t easy. Pineapples rot. They bruise. They hate cold. They demand warmth, humidity, and a disdain for travel. As a result, fresh pineapples were rare—like, “more expensive than gold” rare.

Why Were Pineapples So Expensive?

How Much Did a Pineapple Cost in the 1700s?

A single pineapple in 18th century England could cost the equivalent of thousands of pounds today. Some estimates suggest around £5,000 to £8,000 per fruit. This wasn’t your weekly Tesco shop.

The price reflected scarcity. There were no fridges, no fast shipping, and certainly no Costa Rica bulk exports. Growing pineapples in Europe required greenhouses—called “pineries”—which consumed coal like there was no tomorrow. Only the aristocracy and truly dedicated horticulturalists could afford the time, space and climate control necessary to produce a single pineapple.

Could You Rent a Pineapple?

Oh yes. Renting pineapples was a legitimate business. Can’t afford to grow or buy one? No problem. Just rent one for the evening to impress your guests. Much like hiring a designer handbag today, you’d casually carry the pineapple to your soirée and pretend you were the kind of person who could own such a thing. The fruit would then be returned, uneaten, to be rented again. Sometimes the same pineapple did the social rounds for weeks before finally collapsing into sticky oblivion.

Pineapple rental fees were high, but they beat shelling out your entire inheritance for one.

What Did Pineapples Symbolise in 18th Century Society?

Why Were Pineapples a Sign of Wealth?

Wealth, sophistication, imperial reach—the pineapple had it all. In a world obsessed with appearance, the pineapple became shorthand for global connections and superior taste. If you could access this tropical marvel, it meant you moved in powerful circles. You were part of the elite who dined on spice-rubbed meats and held salons discussing sugar plantations, while ignoring how exactly that sugar was produced.

In Britain, pineapples became synonymous with hospitality and opulence. Displaying one at a dinner party was like saying, “Welcome to my home. Also, I’m significantly better than you.”

Even without the fruit itself, you could still get in on the trend with pineapple motifs—carved into architecture, moulded onto ceramics, painted into portraits. Pineapples weren’t just fruits. They were brands.

Who Made the Pineapple Famous?

King Charles II arguably gave the pineapple its royal seal of approval. There’s a famous painting of him receiving a pineapple from his gardener, John Rose. This wasn’t an off-the-cuff gift. It was the horticultural equivalent of presenting a diamond. The message was clear: Britain can now grow the tropics. Long live the Empire.

From there, pineapples trickled into the consciousness of every social climber across Europe. If the King posed with one, well, naturally everyone wanted one.

Pineapples in Art and Architecture

Pineapples didn’t stop at dinner tables. They began appearing on everything from gateposts to napkin holders.

What Is the Pineapple Building?

One of the most iconic examples of pineapple fever is Dunmore Pineapple in Scotland. Built in 1761, this architectural oddity features a massive stone pineapple atop a garden pavilion. It’s as weird as it sounds. And no, it wasn’t just decorative flair—this pineapple stood nearly 15 metres tall.

Why? Because Lord Dunmore could. That was the whole point. Monumental, unnecessary, and completely delightful—it summed up the era’s pineapple obsession perfectly.

You’ll also find pineapples carved into 18th-century furniture, plastered across wallpaper, and topping wrought-iron gates of stately homes. They weren’t subtle about it.

Did Anyone Actually Eat the Pineapples?

Not immediately. A fresh pineapple might do a full social season, passed from party to party, before someone finally decided to eat it. When that happened, it was a moment. Guests might gather around and sample a slice like it was holy bread. After all, many had never tasted one before.

The flavour? Exotic. Sweet. Slightly acidic. Totally worth bankrupting your family for.

Preserved pineapples became popular later on—canned or crystallised, they were more affordable (relatively) and could be used in cakes, jellies, and other sugar-forward dishes. But a fresh one? That remained the pinnacle.

How Did the Pineapple Craze Fade?

Like most obsessions, pineapple mania eventually cooled down. Advances in shipping and agriculture made the fruit more accessible. By the late 19th century, with pineapples increasingly available in Europe and the US, the aura of exclusivity vanished.

Once something can be bought at the corner shop, it loses its status-symbol sheen. The pineapple slipped from elite circles into the realm of normality. It still appeared in design—especially in the Victorian era—but more as a nod to colonial nostalgia than an actual flex.

Is the Pineapple Still a Status Symbol?

In some ways, yes. It’s still seen as a symbol of hospitality, particularly in the southern United States. You’ll find it in hotel lobbies, on front doors, and in beach-themed décor. Though these days it’s more kitsch than couture.

Pineapples also enjoyed a revival in the Instagram age. Their symmetrical shape, vibrant colour, and historical quirks made them catnip for visual content creators. Suddenly, pineapples were back—but more as a meme than a marker of aristocracy.

Why Was 18th Century Europe So Obsessed with Appearances?

The pineapple obsession didn’t happen in a vacuum. The 18th century was a time of extreme social stratification. Your status wasn’t just about wealth—it was about proving that wealth through display. Whether it was wigs tall enough to scrape ceilings or gardens large enough to lose a horse in, visibility mattered.

The pineapple fitted into this world perfectly. It was exotic, difficult, and outrageously impractical. In other words, ideal.

Would You Rent a Pineapple Today?

It’s tempting to laugh, but the idea isn’t so far-fetched. Swap the fruit for a designer handbag, a leased sports car, or a carefully staged holiday photo. The need to be seen as exclusive hasn’t gone away—it’s just changed platforms.

In many ways, the 18th-century pineapple craze was the original social media stunt. A high-risk game of status projection with a literal expiration date. And like all good trends, it left behind just enough legacy to make us both amused and a little envious.