When you learn how to grow pomegranates, there’s one maxim to be sure of: all good things come to those who wait! With its juicy clusters of ruby fruits encased in shiny, flushed amber-gold jackets, this formerly Persian delicacy brings a flourish of luxury to the kitchen garden. Just don’t expect a fast fix. Pomegranates are now being widely embraced for being exotic and easygoing; seasonally diverse, disease resistant, drought tolerant, and almost too good to eat. But these vibrant fruity jewels are not to be rushed – either as a gourmet ingredient in a superfood salad, or as a freshly planted juvenile tree feeling its way in new ground.
If you want one of the best fruit trees that delivers outside the harvest window, growing pomegranates (Punica granatum) is full of surprises. As well as being cultivated for their juicy fruits, these sun-seekers make stunning ornamentals. Possessing glossy leaves that age from copper to green to gold, plus a rich splash of orangey red floral trumpets in early summer, pomegranates make vivid specimen shrubs in their own right. They are even known to entice hummingbirds, such is their allure.
One of a modern breed of ‘superfruits’, a single pomegranate is said to have more than three times the level of antioxidants found in a glass of red wine or a cup of green tea. They are heart-healthy, super-nutritious, bursting with anti-inflammatories, ideal for lowering blood pressure, diabetes and the risk of arthritis, and potent memory-joggers. They also taste divine. So take time to find out how to grow your own delicious pomegranates. Trust us, you won’t be disappointed…
