Pomegranate tree: how to grow, prune and harvest it (including cold-hardy types)

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At a glance

What a pomegranate tree is (and how to recognize one)

Pomegranate is a long-lived, heat-loving fruit plant that naturally grows as a suckering, multi-stemmed shrub. With training it becomes a small tree. UGA Extension notes that it performs best with temperatures above 85°F for at least 120 days a year, and Utah State University Extension describes established plants as very drought tolerant.

Identification

• Leaves: narrow, glossy, hairless and dark green, about 1–4 inches long. Fall color is gold to yellow.
• Stems: slender and twiggy, with many suckers from the base.
• Flowers: about 1–1¼ inches, with crinkled, crepe-paper-like orange-red petals clustered at the branch ends. The calyx stays on the fruit as the familiar crown.
• Fruit: a leathery-skinned berry, about 2–5 inches across, packed with juicy seed coats (arils).

Look-alikes

Zones and climate: where pomegranates grow (and cold-hardy pomegranates)

Heat is what ripens pomegranates, and winter cold is what kills them. Per Texas A&M AgriLife's pomegranate guide, some cultivars tolerate about 10°F while others are damaged at 18°F. UGA Extension puts most cultivars at hardy to about 12°F and the hardiest to about 7°F, and notes that trees are most vulnerable before full dormancy in fall and at spring bud break. NC State Extension adds that plants are killed to the ground below 10°F. In humid climates, fruit and leaf diseases become the bigger problem (see Pests and problems below).

Cold-hardy pomegranate cultivars

Texas A&M AgriLife's guide describes 'Salavatski' as having good cold hardiness (ripening in mid-October), 'Russian 18' as cold hardy, and 'Spanish Sweet-Uvalde' as cold tolerant and very productive. 'Wonderful' has been the main commercial cultivar, but the same guide calls lack of cold hardiness and fruit splitting an ongoing problem with it in Texas, and UGA reports that it performs poorly in Georgia.

Even "cold-hardy" means hardier, not freeze-proof. In zone 7, a plant can be killed to the ground in a severe winter. Training it with several trunks means a hard freeze is less likely to take the whole plant, and it can regrow from the base.

How to plant a pomegranate tree

Plant container-grown pomegranates in spring, after the danger of frost has passed, so roots establish before the next winter. NC State Extension notes that pomegranates tolerate clay, loam or sand, provided the soil drains well.

1. Pick the hottest spot you have. Full sun all day. In zones 7–8, the south side of a building or masonry wall adds stored heat and shelters the plant from winter wind.
2. Check drainage. Pomegranates tolerate sandy and clay soils but not standing water. If a planting hole holds water for a day, plant on a broad, low mound or choose another site.
3. Space for the form you want. Utah State suggests 10–12 feet between home plants; Texas A&M uses 12–15 feet in rows. Plants set closer together make an informal hedge.
4. Plant at the same depth it grew in the pot. Dig a hole two to three times as wide as the root ball but no deeper. Loosen circling roots and backfill with native soil. The general steps are in how to plant a tree the right way.
5. Water in and mulch. Soak the root zone. Then spread 2–3 inches of mulch out to the drip line, keeping it a few inches off the stems.

Watering and fertilizing

Established pomegranates survive drought, but surviving and fruiting well are different things. Utah State University Extension, writing for a desert climate, and UGA Extension both stress regular irrigation for good fruit quality. Utah State suggests a deep watering every 7–10 days.

• First year: water deeply once or twice a week in the absence of rain, so the root ball never dries out. Watering newly planted trees covers how to check soil moisture.
• Bearing plants: keep soil moisture even from fruit set through harvest. Per Utah State, rapid water uptake after drought can split the fruit, and rain near ripening encourages cracking. UGA adds that adequate water during drought reduces splitting when rain returns.
• Fertilizer: pomegranates need little. Base any feeding on a soil test. Excess nitrogen produces lush shoots and suckers at the expense of flowers. If growth is weak, a modest spring application of a balanced fertilizer is usually enough; see when and how to fertilize trees.

How to prune a pomegranate tree

Prune in late winter, while the plant is dormant and after the worst cold has passed, so you can see and remove any winter-killed wood. The first decision is form:

Texas A&M says pomegranates are best grown as bushes, and UGA calls the multi-trunk form probably best in Georgia; losing one trunk to cold or disease doesn't cost you the plant. After the framework is set, pruning is light:

• Remove root suckers and water sprouts every year (see removing tree suckers).
• Cut out dead, crossing and crowded interior branches so light reaches the center.
• Avoid heavy heading cuts. Utah State notes that short spurs on 2–3-year-old wood are the most productive and that severe pruning reduces yields. Wood older than about 5 years loses fruiting ability, so remove the oldest shoots to the ground.

Flowers, fruit set and when pomegranates bear

Pomegranates are self-fruitful, so a single plant can bear on its own; UGA names insects and hummingbirds as the main pollinators. UGA reports that trees from hardwood cuttings bear in their second year, with a small first harvest in year three; Texas A&M says plants come into production in 3–4 years.

It is normal for many flowers to fall without setting fruit. UGA Extension explains that pomegranates make two flower types: fertile flowers with a fuller, rounded base (the future fruit), which set fruit, and narrower male flowers, which drop. Look at the base of a flower to tell which kind it is.

When and how to harvest

Texas A&M puts ripening at about 6 months after bloom. UGA reports early cultivars ripening near the end of August and late ones continuing into October or early November, with two to four pickings a season. Judge ripeness on the plant:

• Skin color is fully developed for the cultivar. Utah State notes the rind turns from green to pink, and deep red on some cultivars.
• A sample fruit tastes sweet. Taste-testing one fruit is the most reliable check.

Clip fruit with pruners rather than pulling, which can tear the spur. Utah State advises harvesting before fruit is overripe, even a little early, to avoid splitting. Whole fruit stores for months at 32–41°F.

Growing pomegranates from cuttings, seed or in containers

Cuttings are the standard way to propagate pomegranates and give a plant identical to the parent. Texas A&M notes that pomegranates root readily from hardwood cuttings taken in winter, and UGA describes 10-inch cuttings of one-year wood, ¼–½ inch thick.

Seed from a fruit will grow, but Utah State notes seedlings are not true to type, and UGA says seed-grown trees take at least three years to bear. Grow seedlings for fun, and buy a named cultivar for fruit.

Containers are how gardeners in zone 6 and colder grow pomegranates. Use a large pot with drainage holes and a coarse, well-drained mix, and keep the plant in full sun all summer. Before hard freezes, move it to a cold but frost-free space. The plant will drop its leaves; water it sparingly until spring. Container plants stay smaller and bear less, but they do flower and fruit.

Pests and problems

Pomegranates have fewer pest problems than peaches or apples, but they aren't trouble-free, especially in humid regions:

• Fruit splitting: caused by uneven moisture or rain on ripe fruit. Water evenly and pick on time.
• Leaffooted bugs: Texas A&M's guide shows them attacking fruit. They feed by piercing the developing fruit.
• Fruit and leaf spots: UGA Extension found Cercospora punicae and Botryosphaeria on Georgia fruit and notes no products are registered for pomegranate disease control. NC State adds that in the Southeast pomegranates fruit unreliably, mostly because of poor pollination and the humid climate. Drip rather than overhead irrigation, good air flow and sanitation help. See how to identify leaf-spot diseases.
• Heart rot: Texas A&M links soft or heart rot (Rhizopus arrhizus) to excessive rain during bloom and ripening. Remove affected fruit.
• Whiteflies, mealybugs, scale and caterpillars: NC State lists these as occasional pests; see scale insects.
• Winter dieback: expected now and then in zone 7. Prune back to live wood in spring once new growth shows where the damage stops.

Common mistakes

Frequently asked

How long does it take a pomegranate tree to bear fruit?

A pomegranate grown from a hardwood cutting can bear in its second year, with a small first harvest around year three; Texas A&M says plants come into production in 3–4 years. Seed-grown plants take at least three years and are not true to type. Fruit ripens about 6 months after bloom.

How big does a pomegranate tree get?

NC State Extension lists pomegranate at about 10–12 feet tall and 8–10 feet wide, and Utah State says it can be trained as a small tree 12–15 feet high. UGA notes growers keep trees around 9 feet for easier harvest. The dwarf 'Nana' stays around 3 feet.

When should you prune a pomegranate tree?

Prune in late winter, while the plant is dormant and after the coldest weather has passed, so you can remove any freeze-damaged wood. Remove root suckers every year and thin crowded branches. Avoid heavy heading cuts; Utah State notes severe pruning reduces yields.

When is the best time to plant a pomegranate tree?

Plant in spring, after the last frost, so the roots have a full growing season to establish before winter. In zones 7–8, spring planting matters most, since UGA notes young wood is always susceptible to cold injury.

How often should you water a pomegranate tree?

Water a new tree deeply once or twice a week in dry weather during its first growing season. Established pomegranates tolerate drought, but Utah State recommends a deep watering every 7–10 days for quality fruit. Rapid water uptake after a dry spell can split the fruit.

Can you grow a pomegranate tree from seed?

Yes, but Utah State notes seedlings are not true to type, and UGA says they take at least three years to bear. For a reliable harvest, buy a named cultivar propagated from cuttings, or root your own hardwood cuttings in winter.

Do pomegranate trees bear fruit every year?

Healthy, established pomegranates fruit every year in suitable climates. Crops drop after a winter that freezes stems back, or when heavy pruning removes the fruiting spurs. In zone 7, expect occasional off years after severe winters.

Sources

1. Pomegranate Production (Circular 997), University of Georgia Cooperative Extension
2. Pomegranates (Texas Fruit & Nut Production), Texas A&M AgriLife Extension (hosted by UF/IFAS CREC)
3. Punica granatum (Pomegranate), NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
4. Pomegranate, Fruit of the Desert, Utah State University Extension
5. Pomegranate Production (Circular 997, PDF copy), University of Georgia Cooperative Extension (hosted by UF/IFAS CREC)

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