The pomegranate is an orange-sized fruit with a hard leathery skin. Inside are hundreds of edible seeds with a sweet pleasantly acidic taste. Pomegranates are eaten out-of-hand, used in salads, and sprinkled over desserts.

The pomegranate is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and was cultivated and naturalized over the whole Mediterranean region since ancient times. It is widely cultivated throughout India and the drier parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa. The tree was introduced into California by Spanish settlers in 1769. In this country it is grown for its fruits mainly in the drier parts of California and Arizona.

The pomegranate is a neat, rounded shrub or small tree that can grow to 20 or 30 ft., but more typically to 12 to 16 ft. in height. Dwarf varieties are also known. It is usually deciduous, but in certain areas the leaves will persist on the tree. The trunk is covered by a red-brown bark which later becomes gray. The branches are stiff, angular and often spiny. There is a strong tendency to sucker from the base. Pomegranates are also long-lived. There are specimens in Europe that are known to be over 200 years of age. The vigor of a pomegranate declines after about 15 years, however.

Pomegranates are 3 to 4 inches in diameter and round to oblong in shape. The skin is leathery in texture and orange to orange-red in color. The edible portion of the fruit is the juicy red flesh and there are many seeds inside the fruit making it difficult to eat.

Varieties

Balegal	Originated in San Diego, Calif. Selected by Paul H. Thomson. Large, roundish fruit, 3 inches in diameter. Somewhat larger than Fleshman. Skin pale pink, lighter then Fleshman. Flesh slightly darker than Fleshman, very sweet.
Cloud	From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. Medium-sized fruit with a green-red color. Juice sweet and white.
Crab	From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. Large fruit have red juice that is tart but with a rich flavor. A heavy bearing tree.
Early Wonderful	Large, deep-red, thin-skinned, delicious fruit. Ripens about 2 weeks ahead of Wonderful. Medium-sized bush with large, orange-red fertile flowers. Blooms late, very productive.
Fleshman	Originated in Fallbrook, Calif. Selected by Paul H. Thomson. Large, roundish fruit, about 3 inches in diameter, pink outside and in. Very sweet flavor, seeds relatively soft, quality very good.
Francis	Originated in Jamaica via Florida. Large, sweet, split-resistant fruit. Prolific producer.
Granada	Originated in Lindsay, Calif. Introduced in 1966. Bud mutation of Wonderful. Fruit resembles Wonderful, but displays a red crown while in the green state, darker red in color and less tart. Ripens one month earlier than Wonderful. Flowers also deeper red. Tree identical to Wonderful.
Green Globe	Originated in Camarillo, Calif. Selected by John Chater. Large, sweet, aromatic, green-skinned fruit. Excellent quality.
Home	From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. The fruit is variable yellow-red in color, with light pink juice that is sweet and of rich flavor. Some bitterness.
King	From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. Medium to large fruit, somewhat smaller than Balegal and Fleshman. Skin darker pink to red. Flavor very sweet. Has a tendency to split. Bush somewhat of a shy bearer.
Phoenicia (Fenecia)	Originated in Camarillo, Calif. Selected by John Chater. Large fruit, 4-5 inches in diameter, mottled red-green skin. Flavor sweet, seeds relatively hard.
Sweet	Fruit is lighter in color than Wonderful, remains slightly greenish with a red blush when ripe. Pink juice, flavor much sweeter than other cultivars. Excellent in fruit punch. Trees highly ornamental, bears at an early age, productive.
Utah Sweet	Very sweet, good quality fruit. Pink skin and pulp. Seeds notably softer than those of Wonderful and other standard cultivars. Attractive pinkish-orange flowers.
Wonderful	Originated in Florida. First propagated in California in 1896. Large, deep purple-red fruit. Rind medium thick, tough. Flesh deep crimson in color, juicy and of a delicious vinous flavor. Seeds not very hard. Better for juicing than for eating out of hand. Plant is vigorous and productive. Leading commercial variety in California.

Source: 1997, California Rare Fruit Growers, Inc.
Source: 2000 Rosie Lerner, Purdue University.