Pomegranate

Punica granatum · Loosestrife family (Lythraceae)

At a glance
Hardiness zones	8 to 10
Sun	full sun
Water	moderate
Life cycle	perennial
Frost	Half-hardy: takes a light frost
Soil pH	5.5–7.0
Spacing	120 to 144 inches

About Pomegranate

Pomegranate is a shrub or small tree with bright orange-red flowers and round, leathery fruit packed with juicy red seeds (arils). It loves long, hot, dry summers and shrugs off drought and alkaline soil once established. In colder areas it grows well in a big pot, and the dwarf form 'Nana' can even bloom and set tiny fruit indoors in a sunny spot.

Clemson and NC State rate it for zones 8-10 (7b with protection); dormant trees can be badly hurt near 10-12 F (UF/IFAS), and Russian types such as 'Salavatski' are rated hardier. USDA PLANTS lists no noxious or invasive status, and we found it on no state invasive list.

When to plant

Timing is counted from your average last spring frost (and first fall frost). Sow & Tell works out the actual dates for your ZIP code.

In the ground, plant in early spring after the risk of late frost (UF/IFAS), about 10-12 ft apart in home gardens (Utah State). Potted trees go back outside once frost danger has passed (no source gives a set number of weeks, so the window is left blank). Plants may set a fruit or two the first year and bear well about three years after planting (Clemson); seedlings don't come true, so buy a named variety.

Soil

Deep, well-drained loam is best, but it adapts to sand or clay; it grows well in the alkaline soils of south Texas (UF/IFAS; Texas A&M).

Test the soil first; pomegranates grow in most well-drained soils at about pH 5.5-7.0 and mainly need nitrogen (UF/IFAS; NMSU).

Feeding

In-ground trees, first year: after growth starts, split over February, May and September: nitrogen fertilizer such as ammonium sulfate (21-0-0). Texas A&M uses 1-2 cups per tree the first year, split into 3-4 feedings, doubling it the second year and tripling it the third.
In-ground bearing trees, in March and July: balanced fertilizer such as 10-10-10. Clemson suggests about 1 lb per 3 ft of plant height each time, spread under the canopy and watered in; follow a soil test.
Potted trees, from the start of new growth in spring through summer: complete liquid fertilizer with micronutrients, or a timed-release fertilizer. Feed liquid fertilizer at least monthly, or timed-release about every 12 weeks, because nutrients wash out of pots quickly (UF/IFAS St. Lucie County; NC State). Stop in winter and start again when new growth appears (Maryland Extension).

Don't feed late in the season; late fertilizing delays ripening and hurts fruit color and quality (NMSU). Uneven watering splits the fruit (Utah State).

Harvest

Fruit ripens from late summer into fall (August to November, depending on variety and place). Ripe fruit has full color, a more angular shape and a metallic sound when tapped (NMSU); clip it off instead of pulling, and pick a little early if rain threatens to split it (Utah State).

Pomegranates give one main crop a year, maturing July to November in north Florida, though they may fruit year-round in south Florida. Pick a little early rather than overripe, especially if rain is coming, since late-summer rains cause splitting.

Varieties (21)

Variety	Type	Notes
State Fair	Compact	About 5 ft tall with small fruit under 2 inches; blooms heavily and is very cold hardy.
Nana	Dwarf	Dwarf, 2-4 ft tall and wide (about 3 ft), with red-orange flowers and small fruit; very cold hardy for a pomegranate. Can bloom and fruit indoors in a sunny spot.
Azadi	Pale-fruited	Yellow to light pink peel with light pink arils.
Cloud	Pale-fruited	Sweet; white flesh and white juice. Medium, green-red fruit.
Afganski	Russian (cold hardy)	Sweet-tart with dark red arils and soft seeds. Medium fruit.
Kazake	Russian (cold hardy)	NMSU says it can grow as far north as zone 5.
Salavatski	Russian (cold hardy)	Large fruit with light red arils; good for juice. Sources call it semi-sweet. Clemson calls the seeds semi-soft, NMSU calls them hard. NMSU calls it the most cold-hardy type it lists, to about 0 F.
Surh-Anor	Russian (cold hardy)	Very sweet juice from pale red arils. Semi-dwarf, about 10 ft.
Red Silk	Semi-dwarf	Sweet and berry-like, with deep pink arils and a good sweet-tart balance. Stays 6-8 ft; medium-large fruit and a heavy bearer. Can be grown as a shrub or tree.
Angel Red	Soft-seeded	Juicy with soft seeds.
Desertnyi	Soft-seeded	NMSU compares the flavor to orange juice; soft, edible seeds and dark arils in a light orange rind.
Parfianka	Soft-seeded	Sweet with a hint of tartness; large red fruit with very small, edible seeds. Vigorous, upright plant; one of the cold-hardy types recommended in Arizona.
Eversweet	Soft-seeded (pale juice)	Very sweet, with light red arils and clear juice that doesn't stain. Soft seeds; tree 8-12 ft.
Utah Sweet	Soft-seeded (pale juice)	Very sweet, with light pink arils and clear juice. Soft seeds; pink fruit and pinkish-orange flowers.
Sharp Velvet	Standard	Mildly tart and refreshing, with dark red arils. Large, dark red fruit; one of the cold-hardy types recommended in Arizona.
Eight Ball	Standard (dark)	Nearly black fruit on a plant about 8 ft tall.
Sweet	Standard (pale, sweet)	Much sweeter than 'Wonderful', with pink juice. Lighter, greenish fruit with a red blush; small, glossy-leaved plant that bears early and suits containers and espalier.
Ambrosia	Standard (pink)	Very large, sweet-tart fruit with pale pink skin and purple arils.
Early Wonderful	Standard (red)	Large, deep-red, thin-skinned fruit with good flavor. Blooms late but bears heavily.
Granada	Standard (red)	Darker red and less tart than 'Wonderful'. A bud sport of 'Wonderful' found in Lindsay, Calif., in 1966; can be grown as a bush or tree.
Wonderful	Standard (red, tart-sweet)	Juicy, tangy and wine-like; big deep purple-red fruit with seeds that are not very hard. Tree 8-12 ft (NMSU gives up to 15 ft); large red flowers. The leading U.S. commercial variety and the one in grocery stores.

Pests to watch for

Leaffooted bugs, Scale insects, Twospotted spider mite, Whiteflies, Thrips, Mealybugs

Diseases and problems

Anthracnose fruit rot, Alternaria fruit rot (black heart), Leaf spot, Fruit splitting

In the kitchen

Eat the arils fresh or press them for juice, syrup, jelly, wine or grenadine (Texas A&M; NMSU).

Keeping it: Whole pomegranates keep for weeks somewhere cool and airy, and up to 2 months in the fridge. Fresh arils or juice keep about 5 days in the fridge.

Safety: The juice is considered safe, but NCCIH says the root, stem and peel may not be safe in large amounts; some people get stomach upset or allergic reactions, and there is little safety data in pregnancy beyond the juice. Check with a doctor before using pomegranate products alongside medicines (NCCIH).

Pets: Not listed as toxic by the ASPCA

Sources

Photo: Photo: Dorieo, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0). Photo resized for the web.

Planting dates and advice are general guidance; check with your local Cooperative Extension office for your area.