Pomegranate has long been a symbol of love, fertility and prosperity in many civilizations. Warriors once ate it before battles because they believed it made them invincible. Perhaps they sensed that pomegranate, in fact, contained large amounts of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.
Native to the Middle East, pomegranate grows well in hot climates with cold winters. In fact, it’s well adapted to our climate in San Antonio. Pomegranate tolerates light frost without damage, although it may suffer significant damage if temperatures fall below 15 degrees for an extended period.
Pomegranate care is fairly simple and little maintenance is needed to provide fruit and bright, orange-red blooms throughout the warm season.
Although it grows easily, here are a few tips to maintain pomegranate in your landscape:
- Plentiful sun and summer heat encourage more flowering, more fruit and a sweeter taste. Pomegranate may be grown in the shade, but it will flower less with smaller and less tasty fruit.
- Regular pruning is recommended to facilitate harvesting the fruit. The branches bear spiny tips, so handle them carefully.
- Deep, infrequent watering will establish deep, extensive roots so the tree can survive periods of drought.
If you have a sunny spot in your landscape for a plant that requires minimal watering and maintenance, try pomegranate. And as a bonus, it’ll reward you with delicious fruit.
