Fall is the best season to plant pomegranates in USDA hardiness zones 8-10. Pomegranates may be grown naturally as a bushy shrub or, if trained, as a small tree.
Although the majority of commercial pomegranates reaching the U.S. consumer each fall come from The San Joaquin Valley of California, home gardeners can experience success in cultivating one of nature’s distinctive, decorative, and delightful fall fruits too. In the Northern hemisphere, the popular pomegranate season from September through February has earned it the title “Jewel of Winter.”
Pomegranate, Punica granatum, is an ancient cultivated plant native to Iran. It was cultivated for centuries in northern Africa, Greece, and throughout the Middle East before traveling east to China and India and west to Mediterranean Europe, particularly to Spain. Spanish missionaries in Mexico brought the fruit to California where it came under the care of Catholic padres in mission gardens. By 1771, pomegranates grew in Thomas Jefferson’s garden.
Cultivating Pomegranates
Wild Punica granatum, the cultivated pomegranate, requires a sunny site and tolerates a wide variety of soil types with good drainage and pH range from acidic to alkaline. Hot summer temperatures contribute to successful ripening of fruit in fall.
The 2-4 inch diameter ruffled blossoms of spring and summer are usually orange or red; however, white, yellow and variegated are found too. The fruit, botanically a berry, may be as small as an orange or as large as a cantaloupe, depending on the variety. The average size is 3-4 inches in diameter.
Under prime growing conditions, shrubs reach 8-15 feet tall, although there have been 25-foot varieties. Careful pruning can keep specimens at 6 feet or less. Dwarf varieties have been developed that are 2-3 feet tall. Pomegranate shrubs are known for longevity, some thriving for over 200 years.
Pomegranates are self-pollinated and cross-pollinated by insects. Having two or more specimens increases the chances of fruit.
Once established in the landscape, pomegranates are drought tolerant. They attract few pests or diseases. Prolonged humid conditions can result in fungus on fruit and foliage. Deer browse on foliage.
While internal pruning of suckers and water sprouts is needed to maintain a tree form, only minimal pruning is required for shrubs. Dead, diseased and weak branches can be pruned out anytime. Some varieties have thorny branches to cope with while pruning. Because pomegranates bloom on new growth, pruning for shape should be done during dormancy.
Propagating Pomegranates
Pomegranates are propagated by seed, layering, or cuttings. Seeds germinate in less than six weeks in warm soil. Seedlings will not be true to type however. Summer softwood cuttings and winter hardwood cuttings produce good results for gardeners.
Culinary Uses of Pomegranates
Pomegranates, while prized for their ornamental appearance, have the bonus of edible fruit and juice. Fruits are ripe when they have the dark red color and, when tapped, yield a metallic sound. Hundreds of seed are enclosed in sweet-tart juicy red pulp.
Children enjoy estimating the number of seeds inside one fruit and then comparing estimates to actual numbers by counting the seeds while eating the pulp. With adult encouragement, they can even test seed germination.
Eating fresh pomegranates is messy, but lots of fun for children and adults. As Judy Barrett notes, “The process involves a lot of smacking, sucking, and spitting to get the true goodness out of the fruit.”
Pomegranate pulp and juice have a number of health benefits:
- flavonoids help in reducing plaque on teeth
- the enzyme paraoxanase keeps bad cholesterol from collecting in arteries
- seed oil and juice extract provide anti-inflammatory effects for arthritis
- anti-oxidants guard the skin from UV rays and defend cells against free radicals
- one pomegranate contains 25% of daily fiber recommendation
The juice is extracted for drinking fresh or processed into syrups, sauces, sorbets, dressings, glazes, jelly, and wine. Grenadine is the commercial syrup made from pomegranates and used to color and flavor drinks like pink lemonade and foods.
The pulpy seeds, called arils, garnish fruit compote, green salads, puddings, parfaits, yogurt, hot cereals, guacamole, and pork and poultry dishes.
Other Uses for Pomegranates
The rind of the fruit is ground to make dyes in India. Rinds yield yellow, gold and brown dyes.
The red juice stains everything easily and is used as a natural dye for fabrics, Easter eggs, lipsticks and blushers.
The bark, rind and leaves contain high amounts of tannin used in curing leather.
Landscape Uses for Pomegranates
Pomegranates are attractive in flower and in fruit. The ornamental shrub is used as a single specimen, a shrub border plant, hedging and a container plant.
There are hundreds of varieties of pomegranates. The USDA ARS National Clonal Germplasm Repository for Fruit and Nut Crops at the University of California- Davis has 145 accessions from around the world.
Commonly found cultivars in retail nurseries include the following:
- ‘Eight Ball’ – 8 feet tall shrub with maroon to black rind on fruit
- ‘Flavescens’ – yellow flowers but rarely produces fruit
- ‘Grenada’ – dark red fruit, less tart flavor than many, bud mutation of ‘Wonderful’
- ‘Nana’ – dwarf to 3 feet tall with red-orange single flowers and small fruit
- ‘State Fair’ – 5 feet tall with 2-inch fruit and profusion of flowers
- ‘Wonderful’ – dark red-purple fruit, very productive, most popular commercially
The ancient pomegranate is ageless in appeal. Cultivate a passion for the jewel of winter in your garden.
Sources
- Barrett, Judy. What Makes Heirloom Plants So Great: Old-Fashioned Treasures to Grow, Eat and Admire. College Station, TX: Texas A & M Press, 2010.
- Ferguson, Barbara. Ed. All About Growing Fruits, Berries and Nuts. San Francisco: Chevron Chemical Company, 1995.
- Flowerdew, Bob. The Complete Book of Fruit. New York: Penguin Studio Books, 1995.
- Halfacre, R. Gordon and Anne R. Shawcroft. Carolina Landscape Plants. Raleigh: Sparks Press, 1975.
- McKenzie, Caroline. “5 Reasons Pomegranates Make You Healthier.” Southern Living, December 2010.
- Tanner, Cory. "Pomegranate." HGIC # 1359. Clemson: Clemson Cooperative Extension, 05/2009. website
- Wood, Marsha. “Pomegranate – A Backyard Favorite.” for USDA-ARS 02/18/2000 website
Arlene Marturano - Arlene Marturano, an educator, consultant, master gardener, and writer advocates gardens as a context and gardening as a tool for ...
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