The Pomegranate: ancient and ever new
“It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
That pier’d the fearful hollow of thine ear;
Nightly she sings on yond pomegranate tree.
Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.”
Act III.V.2 Romeo and Juliet
Steeped in history, a traditional symbol of fertility, and a significant fruit in many cultures, the pomegranate (Pumica granatum) is a study in contradiction. Both sweet and tart. A tree or a shrub? Let’s settle for a “tree like” shrub.
The Pomegranate is believed to have originated in India and north to the Himalayas but its cultivation quickly spread to many areas of the globe and is referenced in Greek, Roman and Egyptian histories. It arrived in the North American west in the 1790’s.
Its somewhat unique growth habit lends itself to many gardening approaches. Given lots of room it can be left wild and hedge like. Another option is to carefully prune out leader shoots when the plant is young and shape the shrub gradually into a vase like shape. A final choice is to severely prune out many leader shoots at a young age resulting in a neat, most elegant tree like shape that looks terrific in the garden or orchard.
The foliage is a narrow leathery leaf that is a beautiful light purplish green when they emerge in spring. It produces bright red/orange or white flowers and sets large fruit with a distinctive calyx at the base giving the fruit its distinctive shape. The tough leathery skin protects the lush and juicy seeded fruit.
The Pomegranate grows well in ordinary soil but will thrive in slightly acidic conditions. A long hot dry growing season followed by a cool winter is the perfect climate for this fruit. Plant in full sun for the best fruit production although it will tolerate some bright shade. A light annual fertilizing will suffice followed by an application of well rotted manure or compost. Relatively disease free it may occasionally have aphids or thrips resulting in minor leaf damage.
A good selection of varieties exist to choose from. Dwarf cultivars such as “Nano” and Chico” only grow 3-4ft. "Legrelle" is a 6-8 ft specimen and “Wonderful” a perennial favourite grows eventually 12-15ft, has large fruit and is the leading commercial variety in California. “Sweet” has a light red colour and true to its name has the sweetest juice of all the cultivars.
As the fruits ripen they develop a very distinctive red hue. It is imperative to pick before they become too mature as they are liable to tear open. Fruits, when stored at temps in the mid 30’s have a long storage life, up to 7 months. Their juice becomes even more flavorful when stored. Extracting the juice need not be as complicated as it appears. Cut in half, then the juice sacs can be lifted out with a spoon and the juice removed by forcing through a heavy sieve. Another method is to warm the fruit slightly, roll it between your hands until it feels soft, make a hole at one end, stand the fruit over a glass and allow the juice to drain. The juice is rich in fiber, potassium, niacin and vitamin C.
The Pomegranate is a very special addition to the garden. It is a unique plant, providing splendid fruit, looks very attractive in every stage of growth be it full Spring bloom, summer leaf, or laden with fruits on bare branches in late Fall.
Copyright John Lyons