Punica granatum. Pomegranates have enriched human history since people painted themselves red with the juice at the dawn of civilization. The photo at left (courtesy of John Thurm) shows a ripening pomegranate tree at the Temple of Aphrodite in Cyprus. According to Greek myth the first pomegranate tree was born in the blood of Side, the wife of Orion, who jumped off a cliff when she was tricked into thinking she had killed her children. The fruit has symbolized death and rebirth ever since. The genus name Punica is the old name for the ancient city of Carthage. Today's world has more prosaic concerns, such as the health benefits of the juice and seeds. Pomegranate juice has more than twice the amount of antioxidants found in grape juice, green tea or red wine and reduces hardening of the arteries. The alkaloids of the pomegranate have the unique ability to paralyze tapeworms and that's enough about that topic. The bark in particular is biologically active and is antibacterial as well as antiviral. Pomegranates are arching deciduous shrubs, about 15' tall and equally wide in suitable climates. You can prune them into a tree if desired. They need hot summers for good fruit development and moderate winters for survival (to 15 degrees F). Winter chill requirements are low, less than 200 hours below 40 degrees F. A south or west wall helps the fruit ripen. Full sun, low water requirements, although regular and deep watering helps fruit development and reduces the number of thorns. Can take alkaline soil. Pomegranates are also resistant to honey fungus, good news for Northern California gardeners fighting this soil-borne disease. Self-fertile, summer flowering on tips of current season's growth. Fruit ripens in fall. Plant sizes vary--read individual descriptions. Expect flowering and fruit within two years. Truly an eye-popping ornamental. With the arrival of warm weather, our pomegranate trees are really taking off--all the varieties in 4" x 9" pots are hitting 3' tall. Angel Red is still on the short side but adding height every day. Shipping charges are 25% for orders to CA, 30% for orders to OR and WA, 45% for orders to AK, and 35% to rest of U.S. Sorry, no shipping to HI. Orders received by Fridays at 5 pm will ship the following Monday and arrive at the latest the following Saturday. |
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| Pomegranate 'Ambrosia' Ambrosia has the largest fruit of any pomegranate, so if you're after super-sized fruit, this variety is for you. These shiny cerise globes can be three times the size of other varieties, yet the flavor of the juice and seeds is just as intense as any other pomegranate. Ambrosia is a very adaptable variety. It grows well in cool summer conditions along the Pacific coast, as well as hot summer areas through Zone 8. About 3 ft. tall in 4 in. x 9 in. containers. | |
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| Pomegranate 'Sharp Velvet' The name tells all for this pomegranate variety--tangy flavors are overlaid with a soft finish in the tantalizing juice of 'Sharp Velvet.' Fruit is a dark burgundy inside and out. Tree grows more upright than other varieties and is also more productive. Best in hot summer areas. Plants are about 2' tall in 4" x 9" grow pots. One per customer, please. SOLD OUT UNTIL SPRING 2009. | |
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| Pomegranate 'Sweet' 'Sweet' pomegranates make smaller trees than other varieties, so this one does well in pots. Copper-red blossoms in late spring are followed by pink globes that have the sweetest juice of all. Will grow well in cool-summer locations. 2' tall plants in 4" x 9" grow pots. SOLD OUT UNTIL EARLY WINTER 2009. | |
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| Pomegranate 'Angel Red' Angel Red is a new pomegranate variety that deserves any superlative you can slap on it. The bright red fruit ripens weeks ahead of Wonderful, and the tree bears heavily. The fruit contains more juice than any other variety, and the seeds are so soft they have the texture of champagne grapes. Plants have been pruned back to about 8 in., in 1 gal containers. They're just beginning to leaf out. They don't look like much right now, but grow quickly once the weather warms up. SOLD OUT UNTIL 2009. | |
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| Pomegranate 'Grenada' Grenada is a bud mutation of Wonderful, with darker red flowers and earlier ripening, typically in August. Juice is wonderfully sweet. Fruit, both inside and out, is a luscious burgundy color. The crown is red even when the rest of the unripe fruit is green. Hummingbirds fight over ownership of this pomegranate tree. About 2 feet tall in 4 in. x 9 in. containers. | |
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| Pomegranate 'Favorite' Punica granatum 'Favorite.' Who knew pomegranates could survive in Russia? That's the birthplace of this cultivar, which has withstood temperatures down to 10 degrees (above F) in the U.S. Many orange-red blossoms produce light red fruit, smaller than 'Wonderful' but slightly sweeter. Photo courtesy of Priscilla Wardlow at the Huntington Botanical Gardens. OUT OF STOCK UNTIL FALL 2008. | |
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| Pomegranate 'Haku-Botan' Punica granatum 'Haku-Botan.' The frilly double flowers of this rare Japanese cultivar are white and appear throughout the spring and summer. 'Haku-Botan' offers something unique to the world of pomegranates--cool greenish white globes on a beautiful smaller shrub, about 10' tall and wide. Perfect for white gardens (maybe with snowberries and Madonna lilies growing under its branches). Fruit and juice are refreshingly tart. Plants are very well-established in 1 gal containers. | |
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