Pomegranate Tree Facts
Pomegranate trees (Punica granatum) reach up to 30 feet tall in ideal conditions, but commonly grow 12 to 16 feet tall as a round shrub or small tree. This deciduous tree produces stiff branches covered with glossy, leathery lance-shaped leaves. Some varieties of pomegranate trees grow spines along the branches. The red or white flowers spread over an inch wide. The red pomegranates are nearly round, reaching 2 to 5 inches across. Proper care of the pomegranate tree will help grow strong fruitful plants.
Pomegranate trees originate from East Asia, including the Himalaya region in northern India. For centuries, this tree was cultivated throughout the Mediterranean area. In 1769, Spanish settlers brought the first pomegranate tree to California. Pomegranate trees have spread throughout the United States, being grown commercially and in home gardens.
Pomegranate trees grow best in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 8 through 11 in semi-arid and subtropical areas. These trees adapt to cool winters and hot summers, but are damaged when temperatures fall below 12 degrees Fahrenheit. They also prefer good-draining rich, fertile soils in full sun exposure.
These fruit trees live over 200 years in the right growing conditions, but most fruit production occurs during the first 15 years of the plant’s lifespan. Some pomegranate trees planted in perfect locations with the right care begin to produce fruit within one year after planting, but it is not uncommon for new trees to take up to three years to start bearing fruit. Young trees up to 5 years old suffer from frequent fruit drops, when the tree sheds unripe fruit. This commonly happens to trees growing in stressful conditions such as overfertilization and overwatering. Once the trees are older, fruit drops are less frequent.
Pomegranate trees grow from seeds, but the seed does not produce a copy of the parent plant. The best way to propagate these trees is through stem cuttings. The cuttings are taken in the winter and reach 12 to 20 inches long. After establishing roots, young pomegranate trees begin fruit production within three years.
Pomegranate trees only need light pruning during their lifetime. Because pomegranate trees produce flowers on new growth, prune the tree before the new growth begins in the spring. Remove suckers and dead wood at this time. Prune back the upward growing branches to control the size of the plant. Do not prune heavily, because it reduces the amount of fruit the pomegranate tree produces.
Karen Carter spent three years as a technology specialist in the public school system and her writing has appeared in the "Willapa Harbor Herald" and the "Rogue College Byline." She has an Associate of Arts from Rogue Community College with a certificate in computer information systems.