Punica granatum - Pomegranate Seeds

The pomegranate, also known as Punica granatum or Carthaginian apple, is a small, deciduous, bushy tree that remains attractive throughout most of the year. Indigenous to the Mediterranean basin, it is a heat-loving tree that is still relatively hardy. Its summer blooms are of a striking vermillion hue, forming a perfect combination with its bright green foliage. Long, hot summers are needed for it to produce large, round fruit filled with sweet, juicy, fleshy seeds. The foliage takes on a lovely golden hue in autumn. This generous shrub is very undemanding in regard to the soil and is very drought resistant. Older pomegranates often have a tortuous trunk with cracked grey-brownish bark that peels off in flakes. This generous shrub is very undemanding in regard to the soil and is very drought resistant. 

The origins of the pomegranate probably lie in a vast region covering South-Eastern Europe and extending eastwards to the Himalayas. Curiously, this small deciduous tree of the  family Lythraceae is related to the purple loosestrife (Lythrum salicaria) that is so commonly widespread along our waterways. It has been cultivated since ancient times for its fruit and magnificent blooms. It forms a slightly thorny bush of tangled twigs in its youth, showing fairly rapid growth until it can start bearing fruit, which doesn't happen before 5 years of age. The adult plant develops at a much slower rate, forming after a few years, a small tree measuring 4 m high and 3 m wide, with a spreading, rounded growth habit. It evolves from a clump to a tree that stands on a tortuous-looking trunk, whose charm is recalls that of olive trees. It displays profuse blooming in June-July, that becomes more sporadic throughout the summer. The flowers are made up of wrinkled petals emerging from a thick, waxy calyx which already evokes the pomegranate to come. They take on an intense vermilion hue under the summer sun, forming a perfect chromatic match with the lively, glossy, intense green foliage. In favourable weather conditions, pomegranates ripen at the end of October or early November. They are large round fruits, measuring 10 to 15 cm in diameter and that are yellow to orange-pink in colour. They contain many light pink to red berries featuring a more or less, acidic or sweet pulp, all tightly packed within the thick skin. The foliage turns bright yellow before disappearing in autumn.

A symbol of fertility and abundance, the pomegranate is a magnificent specimen plant that should be planted in a warm position. Hardy down to -12/-15 °C, it will grow without any problem wherever olive and fig trees manage to grow. It can also be used as a hedge, if pruned regularly. Planted in a large pot along with citrus fruits and oleanders, it will reign over the terrace. This method of cultivation allows the fruit to reach full maturity in all sunny regions, by overwintering the tree in a very bright, warm room.