Punica granatum Bush
Origin: Central Asia. The Pomegranate tree was known 4000 years before Christ and it is one of the oldest plants that man has made use of. It has found the ideal climate in the Mediterranean regions. A large shrub or small deciduous tree with thorny branches and grey bark which becomes paler with extremely decorative patches, especially in the very old plants where the trunk has become knobbly and twisted. Leaves: obovate, up to 8cm long, narrow, glossy green until autumn when they turn bright yellow. Flowers: from June to September, single, axillary, orangey-red, made up of a bell-shaped, leathery calyx and 5-8 petals which open up to show golden corollas and stamens. Fruits similar to apples with orangey-red skin when ripe; inside they are divided into segments each of which contains numerous, pleasant tasting seeds composing the edible part of the fruit. Pomegranates are commercially grown for their fruit in fertile, cool soil but as decorative trees they also grow well on sunny, stony slopes. Withstand drought but like to be watered well during when they are actively growing.
