Pomegranate
| Lifespan: | ⌛ | perennial |
|---|---|---|
| Origin: | ✈ | Iran to the western Himalaya |
| Exposure: | ☼ | [[Exposure::full sunsn]] |
|---|---|---|
| Water: | ◍ | [[Water::regular for fruit productionsn]] |
| Features: | ✓ | flowers, fruit |
| Sunset Zones: | [[Sunset zones::5-31, warmer 32sn]] |
Growth Habits: The pomegranate is a neat, rounded shrub or small tree that can grow to 6-9m, but is more typically to 2-4m in height. A dwarf variety, var. nana (syn. Punica nana), only 1-2m tall is often grown, and breeds true from seed. It is usually deciduous, but in certain areas the leaves will persist on the tree. The trunk is covered by a red-brown bark which later becomes gray. The branches are stiff, angular and often spiny. There is a strong tendency to sucker from the base. Pomegranates are also long-lived. There are specimens in Europe that are known to be over 200 years old. The growth rate declines after about 15 years, however.
Foliage: The pomegranate has glossy, leathery leaves that are narrow and lance-shaped, 3-8cm long and 0.8-2.5cm broad, with a very short petiole; they are arranged in opposite pairs, occasionally sub-alternate.
Flowers: The flowers are attractive, usually scarlet, occasionally pink, white or variegated, 3cm across, and normally have five petals (to eight or more in some cultivars) with a crumpled texture and a red, fleshy, tubular calyx which persists on the fruit. The flowers may be solitary or grouped in twos and threes at the ends of the branches. The pomegranate is self-pollinated as well as cross-pollinated by insects. Cross-pollination increases the fruit set. Wind pollination is insignificant.
Fruit: The fruit is nearly round, 6-12cm diameter, crowned at the apex by the prominent calyx. The tough, leathery skin or rind is typically yellow overlaid with light or deep pink or rich red. The interior is separated by membranous walls and white, spongy, bitter tissue into compartments packed with sacs filled with sweetly acid, juicy, red, pink or whitish pulp or aril. In each sac there is one angular, soft or hard seed. High temperatures are essential during the fruiting period to get the best flavour. The pomegranate may begin to bear one year after planting out, but 2½ to 3 years is more common. Under suitable conditions the fruit should mature from 5–7 months after bloom.
Adaptation: The Pomegranate is native to southwestern Asia, but has been cultivated for thousands of years west across the Mediterranean region in southern Europe and northern Africa. It prefers a semi-arid mild-temperate to subtropical climate and are naturally adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers. A humid climate adversely affects the formation of fruit. The tree can be severely injured by temperatures below about -10° to -12°C. In Europe, pomegranates can be grown outside as far north as southern England, and in North America as far north as southern Utah and Washington D.C., but they seldom set fruit in these areas. The tree adapts well to container culture and will sometimes fruit in a greenhouse. The dwarf var. nana is less hardy, being damaged by temperatures below about -5°C.
Cultivation
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Location: Pomegranates should be placed in the sunniest, warmest part of the yard or orchard for the best fruit, although they will grow and flower in part shade. The attractive foliage, flowers and fruits of the pomegranate, as well as its smallish size make it a excellent landscaping plant.
Soil: The pomegranate does best in well-drained ordinary soil, but also thrives on calcareous or acidic loam as well as rock strewn gravel.
Irrigation: Once established, pomegranates can take considerable drought, but for good fruit production they may need to be irrigated. To establish new plants they should be watered every two to four weeks during the dry season. The plants are tolerant of moderately saline water and soil conditions.
Fertilizing: In the West, the trees are given 60–120g applications of ammonium sulfate or other nitrogen fertilizer the first two springs. After that very little fertilizer is needed, although the plants respond to an annual mulch of rotted manure or other compost.
Pruning: Plants can be cut back when they are about 0.5-1m high. From this point allow four or five shoots to develop, which should be evenly distributed around the stem to keep the plant well balanced. These should start about 30cm from the ground, giving a short but well-defined trunk. Any shoots which appear above or below can be removed as should any suckers. Since the fruits are borne only at the tips of new growth, it is recommended that for the first three years the branches be judiciously shortened annually to encourage the maximum number of new shoots on all sides, prevent straggly development and achieve a strong well framed plant. After the thirrd year, only suckers and dead branches are removed.
Harvest: The fruits are ripe when they have developed a distinctive colour and make a metallic sound when tapped. The fruits must be picked before over maturity when they tend to crack open, particularly when rained on. The pomegranate is equal to the apple in having a long storage life. It is best maintained at a temperature of 1° to 5°C and can be kept for a period of 7 months within this temperature range and at 80 to 85% relative humidity without shrinking or spoiling. The fruits improve in storage, becoming juicier and with more flavour.
Propagation
The pomegranate can be raised from seed but may not come true. Cuttings root easily and plants from them bear fruit after about 3 years. Cuttings 30-50cm long can be taken in winter from mature, one-year old wood. The leaves should be removed and the cuttings treated with rooting hormone and inserted about two-thirds their length into the soil or into some other warm rooting medium. Plants can also be air-layered but grafting is seldom successful.
Pests and diseases
Pomegranates are relatively free of most pests and diseases. Minor problems are leaf and fruit spot and foliar damage by white flies, thrips, mealybugs and scale insects. The roots are seldom bothered by rodents but deer will browse on the foliage.
Cultivars
- 'Balegal' - Originated in San Diego, Calif. Large, roundish fruit, 8cm diameter. Somewhat larger than 'Fleshman'. Skin pale pink, lighter then 'Fleshman'. Flesh slightly darker than 'Fleshman', very sweet.
- 'Cloud' - From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. Medium-sized fruit with a green-red colour. Juice sweet and white.
- 'Crab' - From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. Large fruit have red juice that is tart but with a rich flavour. A heavy bearing tree.
- 'Early Wonderful' - Large, deep-red, thin-skinned, delicious fruit. Ripens about 2 weeks ahead of 'Wonderful'. Medium-sized bush with large, orange-red fertile flowers. Blooms late, very productive.
- 'Fleshman' - Originated in Fallbrook, Calif. Large, roundish fruit, about 8cm diameter, pink outside and inside. Very sweet, seeds relatively soft, quality very good.
- 'Francis' - Originated in Jamaica via Florida. Large, sweet, split-resistant fruit. Prolific producer.
- 'Granada' - Originated in Lindsay, Calif. Introduced in 1966. Bud mutation of 'Wonderful'. Fruit resembles Wonderful, but displays a red crown while in the green state, darker red in colour and less tart. Ripens one month earlier than 'Wonderful'. Flowers also deeper red. Tree identical to 'Wonderful'.
- 'Green Globe' - Originated in Camarillo, Calif. Large, sweet, aromatic, green-skinned fruit. Excellent quality.
- 'Home' - From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. The fruit is variable yellow-red, with light pink juice that is sweet and of rich flavour. Some bitterness.
- 'King' - From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. Medium to large fruit, somewhat smaller than 'Balegal' and 'Fleshman'. Skin darker pink to red. Flavour very sweet. Has a tendency to split. Bush somewhat of a shy bearer.
- 'Legrelliae' - Flowers double, salmon-pink variegated with white; sterile. Grown for its flower display.
- 'Phoenicia' ('Fenecia') - Originated in Camarillo, Calif. Large fruit, 4-5 inches in diameter, mottled red-green skin. Flavour sweet, seeds relatively hard.
- 'Plena' - Flowers large, double, bright orange-red; sterile. Widely grown for its flower display.
- 'Sweet' - Fruit is lighter in colour than 'Wonderful', remains slightly greenish with a red blush when ripe. Pink juice, sweeter than most other cultivars. Excellent in fruit punch. Trees highly ornamental, bears at an early age, productive.
- 'Utah Sweet' - Very sweet, good quality fruit. Pink skin and pulp. Seeds notably softer than those of Wonderful and other standard cultivars. Attractive pinkish-orange flowers.
- 'Wonderful' - Originated in Florida. First propagated in California in 1896. Large, deep purple-red fruit. Rind medium thick, tough. Flesh deep crimson, juicy and of a delicious vinous flavour. Seeds not very hard. Better for juicing than for eating out of hand. Plant is vigorous and productive. Leading commercial variety in California.
Gallery
Pomegranate seeds
Pomegranate — opened up
Tree of the white pomegranate
Pomegranate leaves
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References
External links
- w:Pomegranate. Some of the material on this page may be from Wikipedia, under the Creative Commons license.
- Pomegranate QR Code (Size 50, 100, 200, 500)
