Growing Pomegranate Trees: A Delicious and Ornamental Fruiting Plant

The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree that produces edible seeds surrounded by juice-filled flesh called arils. Valued for its flavor, nutrition, symbolic history, and ornamental qualities, the pomegranate originated in the Middle East but is now grown in warm climates worldwide. This beginner’s guide covers how to grow and care for pomegranate trees at home.

Overview of Pomegranate Trees

Pomegranate trees typically grow 12-16 feet tall and wide, with some dwarf varieties staying under 5 feet. They can live over 200 years. The leaves are glossy and oblong, about 2-3 inches long. Plants may or may not have thorns. Showy orange, pink or red tubular flowers appear in spring and summer, attracting hummingbirds. The round fruit turns from green to leathery red skin when ripe in fall. Inside are hundreds of edible seeds.

Pomegranates prefer full sun and well-draining soil. They tolerate drought and light frost. Varieties for zones 7-10 produce the best fruit, while some cold-hardy types survive down to zone 5. Trees fruit after 2-5 years. Pomegranates are self-pollinating but yield more with cross-pollination. The tart-sweet juice and seeds are used fresh, dried, or processed into drinks, spices, preserves and grenadine.

How to Grow Pomegranate Trees

Location Choose a spot with full sun (at least 6 hours daily) and well-draining soil Pomegranates can handle reflected heat,

Planting: Dig a hole twice the width and depth of the root ball. For bare root plants, soak the roots first. Place the tree in the hole, backfill with soil, water well and mulch around the base. Space trees 10-20 feet apart depending on mature size.

Care: Water new plants 1-2 times per week during the first year. After establishment, water mature trees deeply every 2-4 weeks during drought. Pomegranates are drought tolerant. Fertilize sparingly only if needed. Prune suckers anytime and prune for shape in late winter.

Pollination: Pomegranate trees are generally self-pollinating but will produce more fruit with cross-pollination. Planting several together improves yields.

Hardiness Select varieties suited for your zone Protect trees in containers during winter,

Pests/Diseases: Pomegranates are relatively pest and disease resistant. Aphids, leaf-footed bugs, leaf roller caterpillars, and squirrels sometimes attack trees. Prevent most problems with proper care.

Popular Pomegranate Varieties

Many cultivars exist, such as:

• Wonderful – Large red fruit, sweet-tart flavor, widely adapted
• Purple Heart – Low acidity, sweet arils, large red fruit
• Red Silk – Pinkish fruit, sweet-tart berries flavor, dwarf shrub
• Parfianka – Cold hardy to zone 5, sweet taste
• Green Globe – Cold hardy to zone 6, greenish skin, soft seeds
• Utah Sweet – Cold hardy to zone 5, sweet flavor, pinkish skin

Planting and Caring for Pomegranate Trees

Sun and Soil: Pomegranates need full sun, preferably 8 hours or more daily. Anything less can reduce flowering and fruiting. The soil should be loamy or sandy with a pH between 5.5-7.0. Drainage is very important to prevent root rot. Amend clay soils with compost or sand to improve drainage before planting.

Watering: Water new plants once or twice per week until established, providing about 1 inch per week. Mature trees are quite drought tolerant but produce better with regular water. Irrigate established trees every 2-4 weeks during drought. Avoid overwatering.

Fertilizer: Pomegranates generally don’t need much fertilizer once established. You can apply a slow-release fruit tree fertilizer in early spring if growth seems weak. Overfertilization can decrease yields.

Pollination: Most pomegranate varieties are self-fruitful but cross-pollination results in a bigger harvest. Plant more than one variety within 50 feet of each other for the highest production.

Pruning: It’s best not to prune the first year except to remove suckers and dead wood. In year two, select 3-5 main branches to form the scaffold and prune out the rest. Then annually remove suckers, dead wood, and branches growing inward or downward. Thin overlapping branches for airflow. Limit pruning cuts to 1/3 of branches.

Winter Care: In cold climates, wrap or bury the base to protect from frost cracks. Painting the trunk white also helps. Some varieties can handle brief temps down to 5°F. Container plants should be moved indoors or to a sheltered area when hard frosts arrive. Stop watering after leaf drop until spring growth resumes.

Harvesting and Storing Pomegranates

Ripening: Fruit matures 5-7 months after blooming. Ripe pomegranates will have deep red leathery skin, a hexagonal shape and make a metallic sound when tapped. They keep ripening off the tree. Pick fruits by snipping the stems – don’t pull and risk damage.

Storage: Whole pomegranates keep 2-3 months refrigerated in high humidity. To store just the arils, seed the fruits and refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 5 days. You can also freeze arils on a cookie sheet then transfer to bags to store up to 1 year.

Uses: The sweet-tart arils are delicious eaten fresh or used in salads, drinks, sauces, desserts and more. Juice them to make grenadine syrup. Dry the arils for a tangy spice. Turn the skins and inedible seeds into natural dye.

Tips for Growing Pomegranate Trees

• Plant in a sheltered area away from strong wind which can damage young branches and developing fruit.

• Thin fruits to 1-2 per cluster to avoid limb breakage and allow them to grow large.

• Whitewash tree trunks and apply horticultural oil for sunburn and pest protection.

• Mix compost or manure into soil at planting and reapply annually to maintain fertility.

• Watering too much can cause fruit splitting. Allow soil to dry between waterings.

• Mulch around trees with 2-3 inches of organic matter to conserve moisture and reduce weeds.

• Wrap or bag fruits to exclude pests like squirrels and birds. Screen trees with netting when necessary.

• If plants fail to fruit, it may be due to overfertilization, overpruning, overwatering, or insufficient chilling hours.

With its delicious fruit and ornamental qualities, the pomegranate is a beautiful addition to any warm climate garden. A little care and patience will reward you with harvests of this “jewel of autumn” for years to come.