Punica granatum California Sunset - Pomegranate

Punica granatum 'California Sunset' is a pomegranate tree of uncertain origin, appreciated not for its fruits, which never form, but for its magnificent double flowering. Its large, wrinkled-looking flowers are adorned with variegated petals of orange, salmon, and cream, and bloom abundantly in late spring or summer depending on the climate. This vigorous bush does not bear thorns, and its deciduous foliage, a bright green, turns a beautiful golden yellow in autumn. This generously flowering bush is not demanding in terms of soil type, preferring deep, fresh soil, but it also withstands drought very well.

The 'Legrelliae' flowering pomegranate is sometimes marketed under the names 'Madame Legrelle', 'Madame Legrellia', or 'California Sunset'. It is an old cultivar with obscure origins, named in honour of a certain Mrs. Legrelle, a plant collector mentioned in an English gardening periodical in 1875. Its connection to flowering pomegranates remains a mystery. The Punica 'Legrelliae' is a small tree or large bush of the Lythraceae family, curiously related to purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria), which is so common near our waterways. The fruit-bearing pomegranate, from which it descends, is native to a vast region that covers southeastern Europe and extends eastward to the Himalayas.

'Legrelliae' first forms a tuft of non-thorny and tangled branches in its youth, showing fairly rapid growth until maturity, which does not occur until the age of 5. The mature plant develops at a much slower pace, forming a small tree at least 3m (9ft 10in) in height and 2m (6ft 7in) in width, with a spreading and rounded habit after a few years. From a tuft, it becomes a tree with a trunk that has a twisted appearance, reminiscent of olive trees. The flowering takes place in abundance in June-July, and then more sporadically throughout the summer. The flowers, large for the species, measure 6cm (2.4in) in diameter. They are composed of numerous wrinkled petals in shades of orange, pink, and cream-white, emerging from a thick, waxy-textured calyx that already evokes the future pomegranate. But in this variety, like in all double-flowered pomegranates, the flowers are sterile and no fruits are formed. The deciduous foliage is composed of small, thick, shiny, ovate leaves of a bright green colour. They emerge bronze to purple in spring and turn yellow before falling in autumn.

Symbol of abundance like its emblematic ancestor of ancient civilizations, the 'Legrelliae' pomegranate is a magnificent subject to plant in a warm, isolated location. Hardy down to -12/-15°C (10.4/5 °F), it will grow without any problems wherever the olive tree and fig tree can surve in a well-sheltered location. It can also be used as a hedge, regularly pruned, along with a false jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides), myrtles, and even, as in the gardens of the Alhambra, large shrub roses (Rosa complicata, Rosa glauca, 'Ghislaine de Feligonde', 'Roseraie de l'Haye'...). On the terrace, it will stand out in a large pot, accompanied by citrus trees, Grevillea, and oleanders. This cultivation method allows the tree to be stored in a very bright location, warm in our very cold regions.

The city of Granada, a crossroads of Arab and Andalusian civilizations located in southern Spain, owes its name to the presence of the pomegranate tree, brought by the Moors and abundantly planted in the mythical gardens of the Alhambra palace. This tree also thrived in the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and the Romans discovered it in Carthage, naming it the Apple of Carthage.

  *Journal of Horticulture, Cottage Gardener et Country Gentlemen, Volume 28, 1875.