My first introduction to the world of farming was at a very young age, perhaps six or seven. Then was the time I accompanied my father on visits to relatives living in the north of my city, home of the farming industry. I used to spend most of that time with my cousins working and playing in the fields at harvest time. The pomegranate tree is one of the messiest fruits that inevitably stain fingers, clothes and faces, and it takes so long to eat, you will rarely overindulge to the point of sickness! However, mMy dream to have my own farm started when I received a pomegranate tree for my birthday. Slowly, the branches grew thick and high alongside of me. Beautiful red, orange, hibiscus-like flowers began to grace the woody branches in the spring, and then a little fruit appeared beneath one of the flowers. It ripened slowly all summer until it split open, exposing jewel-like red seeds to the sun. The neighbouring children knew that the tree belonged to me and often ask me for one of the fruits. That one plant combined with the years of work spent on the family farm helping scientifically design new orchards that provide optimum trees distribution that offer easy movement for Uncle Ali, who introduced new plants imported from Syria, provided the inspiration and motivation that I will would one day be able to run my own farm.

Never underestimated the potential of the pomegranate fruit, it is traditionally eaten by the people of Iraq and provides a significant great income to the farmers. The fruit is not only eaten fresh by the public but is also sold to manufacturers who extract from it to thea most delicious juice and concentrated syrup that is sold on the shelves in all super markets. Not only that but all Additionally left over seeds are later sold as stock food, and the rinds to leather factories as raw material for tianning.

When I migrated to New Zealand I was surprised to find a lack of this productive fruit and it would be a fulfilling fulfillment of my dream to introduce all its glory to the land of the long Long white White cloudCloud.

My little present

Branches grew thick and high alongside of me

Pomegranate: PU-ni-ka gra-NA-tumBotanical Name: Punica granatum Plant family: Punicaceae (pomegranate family). Common: Pomegranate,Granada (format)Scientific Name: Punica granatum, Punica Granatum L.Related Species: Punica proto-punicaGrowth habit: Can grow 12' to 20' tall as a multi-stemmed shrubLeaves: Alternate and opposite Flower: Orange flowers Soil: Widely tolerant. Accepts alkalinityWater: Tolerantes any amountLight: Sun for best bloom and fruit Frost Tolerance: Hardy in Phoenix to 5° F (-15° C)

Abstract:

The present scientific name, Punica granatum, was derived from the Middle French name "pomuni granatum" (seeded apple) given to the fruit in the middle Ages.

An early name of the Pomegranate was Malum punicum or Apple of Carthage.  Theophrastus describes Pomegranates 300 years before the Christian era.  The fruit was mentioned in connection with Mediterranean civilization - both in the Bible and in the writings of Homer.

The pomegranate originated in Persia, or Iran. It traditionally has played a part in the mythology and traditions of the Middle East were it is a symbol of fertility, wealth and prosperity along with the grape and fig. The ancient Egyptians often buried Bbodies were often with pomegranate fruits with hopes of rebirth.

Pomegranate, is the fruit of a plant raised in warm climates. The plant is bushlike when wild, but under cultivation it is trained to grow as a small tree. It reaches a height of 15 to 20 feet (4.6 to 6 meters) and bears slender branches. Scarlet flowers grow at the ends of the branches. (format)

The fruit is about the size and shape of a large orange and has a hard rind. It has a deep gold-red color. The fruit contains many seeds. Each seed is inside a layer of crimson pulp, which has a pleasant, refreshing taste. The pulp is used to make cooling drinks. (format)

The juice and skins of the pomegranate also produce stains that are practically impossible to remove, making them a popular as dyes. Herbalists to treat inflammation, such as sore throats and rheumatism, have used it medicinally.Pomegranate flowers, fruits, leaves, peels and roots are still regarded as herbal medicines in China and India.

In the United States, William Bartram observed it growing in the ruins of Frederica, Georgia about 1773; and Father Baegert who lived 1751-69 mentioned it as found in California.  The Spanish Padres are credited with bringing pomegranates to California missions some 200 years ago.

Arabic Roman Icelandic Granatepli Assamese Dalim Indonesia gangsalan

Bengali Dalim Italian melogranato, melograno granato, pomo granato

Bulgarian Нар Nar Japanese Zakuro

Brazilians Roma, romeira or romazeira Laotian Kok mak phi la

 English Pomegranate Malay Delima Catalan Magraner Malayalam Matalam

Chinese Shiliu, Shiliupi Marathi Dalimb (fresh fruit), Dalimbache dane (dried seeds)

Croatian Šipak, Nar Nepali Daarim

Czech Granátovník Oriya

Dalimba

Danish Granatæble Pahlawi Anaar

Dutch Granaatappel Polish Granat, Granatowiec właściwy

Esperanto Granato Portuguese Romã; Romãzeira (tree), Romanzeiro

Estonian Harilik granaadipuu Punjabi Anar Farsi Anar Persian Dulim or dulimaFinnish Granaattiomena Romanian Rodie French Grenade , Grenadier Russian Granat, GranatnikGerman Granatapfel Sanskrit Darimba, Madhubiija Greek Ροδιά Rodia Slovak Granátovník púnsky;

Granátové semená

Gujrati Dadam (fresh fruit), Dadamna bee (dried seeds)

Samoan

Limoni

Hebrew Rimmon, Rimon Slovenian Granatno jabolko

Hindi

Anar (fresh fruit), Anardana (dried seeds), Dalmia (Bengali), Darima

Spanish Granada (the fruit), Granado (the plant)or Mangrano

Swahili Komamanga, Kudhumani Thailand Tap tim

Swedish Granatäpple Turkish Nar, Rumman Tagalog Granada Yiddish Milgraym Tamil Madulam Latin Punica granatum LinneTelugu Dhanimmapandu

Because of the wide fruit variation arising form from seedlings, many pomegranate varieties have been selected and grown from cuttings through the centuries.

The pink or red-flowered types includes most of the common and all the desirable and commercial varieties of pomegranates. The fruit is round oblate or obovate in form with rind varying from thick to thin. Colour of the outside and inside varies form from off-white to purplish or bright crimson. The seed may vary in size and hardness, some varieties seeming to be "seedless”. Others being almost inedible because of its their large and hard seeds. In general, varieties having whitish or pinkish fruit are usually sweeter than the those with dark crimson fruit varieties.

There are numerous varieties of pomegranate with considerable differences in the size of the plant and characteristics of the fruit.  The flavor varies by variety and is distinctive. The Those listed beloow are the most common types (listed randomly):

Alba Plena Double flowers with cream or yellowish petals Ahmar, Aswad, HalwaOriginated and are important in Iraq

California Sunset Same as 'Mme. Legrelle' Double Red As its name implies Legrellei Double flowers of salmon-pink, tinged yellow Maxima Rubra A large flowered, double, red form Mme. Legrelle (California Sunset) Known for its cream-colored, red-striped flowers Nochi Shibari Double, dark red flowers Tayosho Apricot flowers fruiting cultivars Fleishman Said to have the sweetest fruits Paper Shell Very thin outer skins Provence A small flowered, red-orange, semi-double form Balegal (Originated in San Diego)Large, roundish fruit, 3 inches in diameter. Somewhat larger than Fleshman. Skin pale pink, lighter then Fleshman. Flesh slightly darker than Fleshman, very sweet.CloudMedium-sized fruit with a green-red color. Juice sweet and white.CrabLarge fruit have red juice that is tart but with a rich flavor. A heavy bearing tree.FleshmanLarge, roundish fruit, about 3 inches in diameter, pink outside and in. Very sweet flavor; is said to have the sweetest fruits, seeds relatively soft, quality very good. FrancisLarge, sweet, split-resistant fruit. Prolific producer.Green GlobeLarge, sweet, aromatic, green-skinned fruit. Excellent quality.HomeThe fruit is variable yellow-red in color, with light pink juice that is sweet and of rich flavor. Some bitterness.KingMedium 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. It got double red flowers and large, sweet fruitsPhoenicia (Fenecia)Large fruit, 4-5 inches in diameter, mottled red-green skin. Flavor sweet, seeds relatively hard.SweetFruit 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 SweetVery sweet, good quality fruit. Pink skin and pulp. Seeds notably softer than those of Wonderful and other standard cultivars. Attractive pinkish-orange flowers.GranadaIn recent years 'Wonderful' is losing ground to the more colorful 'Grenada'.The deep crimson-colored fruit and less tart. Ripens one month earlier than Wonderful. Flowers also deeper red. Tree identical to Wonderful, which matures about the middle of August (Northen hemoshere), is smaller than Wonderful, but because of its early maturity it commands a premium price on the market. Red Loufani, Malissi, Ras el BaghlThe sweeter, less tangy , are favored in Palastine.Bedana, Kandhari

'Bedana' is medium to large, with brownish or whitish rind, pulp pinkish-white, sweet, seeds soft. 'Kandhari' is large, deep-red, with deep-pink or blood-red, subacid pulp and hard seeds. Others include: Alandi ('Vadki')–Medium-sized, with fleshy red or pink, subacid pulp, very hard seeds. DholkaLarge, yellow-red, with patches of dark-pink and purple at base, or all-over greenish-white; thick rind, fleshy, purplish-white or white, sweet, pulp; hard seeds. KabulLarge, with dark-red and pale-yellow rind; fleshy, dark-red, sweet, slightly bitter pulp. Muscat RedSmall to medium, with thin or fairly thick rind, fleshy, juicy, medium-sweet pulp, soft or medium-hard seeds. The plant is a moderately prolific bearer. Muscat Whitelarge, creamy-white tinged with pink; thin rind; fleshy, cream-colored, sweet pulp; seeds medium-hard. Bears well. Desirable for commercial planting in Delhi. Paper ShellRound, medium to large, pale-yellow blushed with pink; with very thin rind, fleshy, reddish or pink, sweet, very juicy pulp and soft seeds. It has a very thin outer skinPoonaLarge, with dark-red, gray or grayish-green rind, sometimes spotted, and orange-red or pink-and-red pulp. Spanish RubyRound, small to medium or large; bright-red, with thin rind, fleshy, rose-colored, sweet, aromatic pulp, and small to medium, fairly soft seeds. Considered medium in quality. VelloduMedium to large, with medium-thick rind, fleshy, juicy pulp and medium-hard seeds. Tehuacan, Puebla Maxicans take especial pride in the pomegranates of. Many cultivars are grown, including 'Granada de China' and 'Granada Agria'.

Ruby Red Is another variety of very limited commercial importance. The fruit is about the same size as Wonderful, and while its crimson-purple color develops early, juice tests show that it matures at the same time as Wonderful. Ruby Red matures at the same time on the tree, thus allowing one picking which reduces that splitting problem. It does not store as well as Wonderful. Foothill Early Is a recent patented introduction planted in central California. The fruit is similar to Wonderful but matures 1 to 2 weeks earlier. Spanish Sweet or Papershell Is still grown to a limited extent as a dooryard tree, but is no longer a commercially marketed variety. The fruit is large and pale pink with a sweet flavor. Babylonian WhiteThis pomegranate keeps its white color even when ripe. The flavor is much like a sour green plum or a firm green apple. It tastes great with salt sprinkled on the plump, flavorful fruit. Self-Pollinating.Early WonderfulLarge, 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.Wonderfuloriginated Originated as a cutting in Florida, Porterville and propagated in California in 1896. The fruit is oblate, very large, dark purple-red with a glossy appearance, medium-thick rind; Flesh deep crimson in color, juicy, winey pulp; medium-hard seeds., juicy and of a delicious vinous flavor. Plant is vigorous and productive.

Its fruit, which ships well, It is also a good dooryard backyard tree for eating fresh and processing for juice. The fruit matures in late September and October (Northen hemoshere). It has double orange-red flowers and large, 5 in (13 cm) fruits.

Showy flowers

There are several cultivars selected just for the showy flowers. 'Chico' (dwarf carnation pomegranate) can be kept under 2 ft (0.6 m) tall and produces double flowers over an extended season, but no fruit. 'Legrellei' is a dense shrub, 6-8 ft (1.8-2.4 m) tall, with double creamy white flowers with pink stripes and no fruit. 'Nochi Shibari' has double dark red flowers. 'Nana' (dwarf pomegranate) is 1-3 ft (0.3-0.9 m) tall with orange-red single flowers. 'Tayosho' has light apricot colored flowers. 'Alba Plena' has double white flowers

Nana Dwarf (up to 18 inches - 45 cm), attractive in windows, or as bonsai, red flowers, edible 1.5 inches fruit (4 cm).Chico Another dwarf form, double orange red flowersalmost everblooming, but no fruit.Orange Master Is a dwarf ornamental pomegranate that stayed under 2 feet in height in its first year from seed in '99. Orange-red crepe paper flowers began appearing in late summer and continued into fall, followed by 1 to 1 1/2 inch red fruit P. granatum var. nana The Japanese dwarf pomegranate, P. granatum var. nana, is especially hardy and widely grown as an ornamental in pots. The flowers are scarlet, the fruit only 2 in (5 cm) wide but borne abundantly. Among other ornamental cultivars are 'Multiplex' with double, creamy white blooms; 'Pleniflora', double, red; 'Rubra Plena', double, red; 'Mme. Legrelle' and 'Variegata', double, scarlet bordered and streaked with yellowish-white.

A few other varieties, mostly early maturing, are grown for the commercial market. These named and unnamed selections are, for the most part, marketed before Wonderful matures.

A few varieties are grown primarily for dooryard backyard use. These usually are double flowered or dwarf types with red, yellow, white or variegated blooms. Like commercial varieties, they are most successfully grown in got interior areas, but are also adapted to the coastal climate.

The pomegranate is native to of Asia, from the Middle East to the Himalayas, where it grows in sandy or rocky scrublands. It is cultivated for its fruit and showy flowers in much of the Mediterranean region and tropical AmericaIt grows wild in stony ground in Persia, Kurdistan and Baluchistan and south of the Caucasus.  Westwards in Asia Minor, Greece and the Mediterranean basin the species appears to have become naturalized from cultivation and dispersal of seeds by birds'.  In China the Pomegranate was introduced from Samarkhand acentury and a half before the Christian era. It is cultivated for its fruit and showy flowers in much of the Mediterranean region and tropical America.

It was carried by desert caravans for the sake of its thirst-quenching juice. It traveled to central and southern India from Iran about the first century A.D. and

was reported growing in Indonesia in 1416. It has been widely cultivated throughout India and drier parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa. The most important growing regions are Egypt, China, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Iran, Iraq, India, Burma and Saudi Arabia. It is rather commonly planted and has become naturalized in Bermuda where it was first recorded in 1621, but only occasionally seen in the Bahamas, West Indies and warm areas of South and Central America. Many people grow it at cool altitudes in the interior of Honduras. In Mexico it is frequently planted, and it is sometimes found in gardens in Hawaii. In California, commercial pomegranate cultivation is concentrated in Tulare, Fresno and Kern counties, with small plantings in Imperial and Riverside counties.

New world: In North and South America the pomegranate is found growing from the southern United States to Chile and Argentina, probably reaching its highest quality in the arid regions of California, Arizona and northern Mexico. Throughout tropical America the plant is common in gardens and dooryardsbackyards, and in many places it is grown more for ornamental value than for fruit. In humid climates the fruit is inferior in quality. As the missions moved north to California, so did the fruits grown by the padres. For instance, a visitor to Mission San Buena Ventura described an orchard containing pomegranates, apples plums, figs, oranges, grapes, and peaches in 1792. Most descriptions of early California fruit gardens mention pomegranates as being widely grown, and even today many California mission gardens contain pomegranate bushes, a few of which probably were originally planted by the padres.

The Spanish conquistadores are credited with bringing pomegranates to the California missions some 200 years ago. Today, although they grow in some areas of the southern United States, California´s San Joaquin Valley is the only concentration of commercially grown pomegranates in the United States. At local farmers´ markets, homegrown pomegranates and freshly squeezed juice are brought in from the valley. There were 1,850 acres of pomegranates in California in 1927, but acreage steadily declined until there were only 522 acres in 1952. Plantings in the 1960's and 1970's slowly increased the state's acreage to the present level and recent plantings will soon further increase California's production. Further expansion beyond that required for limited consumer demand and by-product use could profoundly effect affect grower returns.

Theophrastus described pomegranates (punica granatum) 300 years before the Christian era, and in The Old Testament mentions Pomegranates several times under the name of rimmon whence comes the Arabic rumman.  It is even believed by some that it was the pomegranate, not the apple that was the fruit of temptation leading to Adam and Eve´s expulsion from the Garden of Eden.

Via Carthage (the name Punica is the old name for the city of Carthage), the pomegranate made its way to Italy, where ancient Romans used the tanned rinds as a form of leather. Many Italian Renaissance fabrics bore the pattern of pomegranates, and even Shakespeare, Homer and Chaucer wrote about the virtues of the exotic fruit.

The Moors brought pomegranates to Spain around 800 A.D., naming Granada after its Latin name, Punicum granatum. And the French named their explosive a grenade after the seed-scattering action of the fruit.

Pomegranates are among the most ancient of fruits, dating back to the Old Testament though it can't be proven definitely, the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge mentioned in the biblical history of creation most probably was meant to be a pomegranate – though most Westerners would hardly believe it, it's nowhere said to be an apple!.In Islam, the pomegranate is known as the fruit of paradise. In Greek mythology, a Homeric Hymn, Persephone, daughter of Ceres, the Goddess of growth and abundance, was forced to spend four months of each year in the underworld, because Pluto forced her to eat four seeds of the pomegranate, when she was held captive in the underworld. The period of time in which this would take place is during winter, with spring heralding her return to the world aboveground. Perhaps this is why this shrub has traditionally been considered a symbol of beauty and fertility in Europe. This reference means more than fertility of soil, plants, livestock and oceans. It also represents fertility of the mind. This workshop was all about harvesting fertility of the mind, i.e. the participants' collective knowledge and experience in participatory planning. . Some At some of the first Olympic games, pomegranates were given as prizes for

the women´s events.The period of time in which this would take place is during winter, with spring heralding he return to the world aboveground. Perhaps this is why this shrub has traditionally been considered a symbol of beauty and fertility in Europe.

Throughout history, the pomegranate has been an important symbol in many cultures. The ancient babylonians considered the evergreen pomegranate tree a symbol of everlasting life. The romans, especially in medieval times, considered the pomegranate tree symbolic of partnerships. In Sanskrit writings, the tree represented the vegetable world and symbolized sustenance. And tThe roman Roman association with partnership can be modernized to equate with food security, sustainability and working together for development.

In still other cultures, the open pomegranate fruit with its hundreds of seeds represents fertility and abundance.

Only the fig can match the pomegranate in mythical and Biblical presence. Its The juice of the pomegranate is said to be the blood of the god Dionysius. Aphrodite, the goddess of love, planted it on earth. The ancients say that there is a door through which a man may return to life, it is to love the woman to whom he gave the pomegranate. Furthermore, that as the God that ate of the seeds of the pomegranate is destined to mortality, the man that tastes them while loving and believing in love, will himself become immortal. Consumption of pomegranates was consequently

either forbidden or required (depending on the season) of women during Eleusinian mystery rites.

With this in mind, the pomegranate was chosen as the symbol for a unique workshop held at the Rome headquarters of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). The workshop was called From Farmer to Planner and Back: Harvesting Best Practices, and was funded by the Government of Norway. The workshop brought together field-level participants from 12 FAO field projects throughout the developing world to discuss best practices for incorporating gender issues into development planning.

When the fruit is eaten raw, it is broken open, the kernels are dislodged, usually with a nut pick, and the flesh is sucked from the pits.  The kernels are also usedas a garnish for desserts and salads. The sacs make an attractive garnish when sprinkled on various dishes.  The juice may be used in beverages and ices. 

From the find rind is made an ink that one writer described as "unfading till the world's end."  From the rind also, is brewed a bitter draught that many an adventurer and explorer has found valuable in combating dysentery. “Grenadine”, for flavoring drinks, is made from Pomegranate juice.  The juice is also used in making gelatin desserts, icing for cakes, fruit drinks and pudding sauces.  As with any ancient fruit, there were many beliefs about its medical value. 

For enjoying out-of-handfrom the hand or at the table, the fruit is deeply scored several times vertically and then broken apart; then the clusters of juice sacs can then be lifted out of the rind and eaten. Italians and other pomegranate fanciers consider this is not a laborious handicap but a social, family or group activity, prolonging the pleasure of dining. The pomegranate's crunchy seeds, each encased in sweet-tart, watery pulp, make this fruit unusual and fun to eat. Pomegranate is good for you, too, because it's low in calories and sodium,. and It also provides potassium and vitamin C. It's also and is high in healthful antioxidants.

In some countries, such as Iran, the juice is a very popular beverage. Most simply, the juice sacs are removed from the fruit and put through a basket press. OtherwiseAlternatively, the fruits are quartered and crushed, or the whole fruits may be pressed and the juice strained out. In Iran, the cut-open fruits may be stomped by a person wearing special shoes in a clay tub and the juice runs through outlets into clay troughs. Hydraulic extraction of juice should be at a pressure of less than 100 psi to avoid undue yield of tannin. The juice from crushed whole fruits contains excess tannin from the rind (as much as .175%) and a gelatin process precipitates this out. After filtering, adding sodium benzoate may preserve the juice or it may be pasteurized for 30 minutes, allowed to settle for 2 days, then strained and bottled. For beverage purposes, it is usually sweetened. Housewives in South Carolina make pomegranate jelly by adding 7 1/2 cups of sugar and 1 bottle of liquid pectin for every 4 cups of juice. In Saudi Arabia, tThe juice sacs may be frozen intact or the extracted juice may be concentrated and frozen, for future use. Pomegranate juice is widely made into grenadine for use in mixed drinks. In the Asiatic countries it may beis made into a thick sirup for use as a sauce. It is also often converted into wine.

In the home kitchen, the juice can be easily extracted by reaming the halved fruits on an ordinary orange-juice squeezer. In northern India, a major use of the wild fruits is for the preparation of "anardana"–the juice sacs being dried in the sun for 10 to 15 days and then sold as a spice.

The edible portion is the pulp around each seed and one reason the pomegranate is not more popular is because of the difficulty of eating it either out of hand or in extracting the juice.How to get seed off one Pomegranate easily? Submerge in water to avoid squirting juice, then cut off the crown and lightly score several vertical lines into the red skin. Now break these segments apart and scoop out the brilliant ruby-red arils (juicy pulp covering tiny seeds). Eat in your fingers and spit out the seeds. Or sprinkle over ice-cream, panna cotta or , waffles. Use the juice as a glaze for roasted quail or chicken. Pomegranates will keep for several months if refrigerated.

In the home kitchen the juice can be easily extracted by reaming the halved fruits on an ordinary orange juice squeezer. Another approach starts with warming the

fruit slightly and rolling it between the hands to soften the interior. A hole is then cut in the stem end, which is placed on a glass to let the juice run out, squeezing the fruit from time to time to get all the juice.

The juice can be used to make jellies, sorbets or cold or hot sauces as well as to flavor cakes, baked apples, etc. Sweetened pomegranate syrup is sold commercially as grenadine. The juice also can be made into a wine.

Prepare a great juice serves 4 to 6: 3 cups fresh pomegranate juice 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 1 teaspoon orange blossom water Sugar to taste A pinch of salt Seltzer or water, to taste, and ice cubes Combine everything in a blender, or mix well in a pitcher and serve with ice cubes.

Pomegranate jellyPerhaps the most popular use for extracted juice is in making pomegranate jelly: 4 cups pomegranate juice 7 ½ cups sugar Lemon juice (2 to 4 tablespoons, depending on the sweetness of the juice) 1 bottle liquid pectin. Measure juice, lemon juice, and sugar into a large saucepan and mix. Bring to boil over high heat and at once add liquid pectin, stirring constantly. Then bring to a full rolling boil and boil hard exactly ½ minute. Remove from heat, skim, pour quickly into hot, sterilized jars. Seal. If jelly glasses are used, pour paraffin on the hot jelly at once. Makes about 11 8-ounce glasses.

The pomegranate plant form is that of a small deciduous tree or large shrub, growing up to 25 feet tall. Originally grown for their fruit, they are also known for the beautiful flowers that can occur for several months in the spring and early summer. Most commonly, they are red-orange, but white, pink, and variegated flowers may also be found. Double-flowering types have blossoms that are carnation-like.

Pomegranates are also useful for large hedges. Their foliage is shiny and dark green, and the stems are somewhat thorny.

Trees: The Pomegranate forms a neat bush oval or rounded outline, which can be grown outdoors in a warm position, either as a freestanding shrub or fan-trained against a wall.

The pomegranate is an attractive or small tree shrub, uUsually with multiple stems, more or less spiny and extremely long-lived, some specimens at Versailles known to have survived two centuries. It has a strong tendency to sucker from the base.

It commonly grows 6-15 ft (1.8-4.6 m) tall. The slender branches start out upright then droop gracefully. Unpruned shrubs have a decidedly weeping or fountain shaped habit.

The trunk is covered by a red-brown bark that later becomes gray. The branches are stiff, angular and often spiny. There is a strong tendency to sucker from the base.

The Pomegranate is tree of tropical and subtropical areas, tough, durable, long lived with the attractive scarlet, white or variegated flowers are more than 1-inch across and have 5 to 8 crumpled petals and a red, fleshy, tubular calyx, which persists on the fruit. The flowers may be solitary or grouped in twos and threes at the ends of

Originally grown for their fruit, they are also known for the beautiful flowers that can occur for several months in the spring and early summer

the branches. The pomegranate has glossy, leathery leaves that are narrow and lance-shaped.

Pomegranates are also long-lived. There are specimens in Europe that are known to be over 200 years of age. Grows wild in the Salt Range and in the Himalayas from 3 000 -6 000 feet. The vigor of a pomegranate declines after about 15 years, however. Leaves:The pomegranate has glossy, leathery leaves that are narrow and lance-shaped or oblong shiny, toothless, opposite or sub opposite or in whorls of 5 or 6, short-stemmed, 3/8 to 4 in (1-10 cm) long, leathery. The leaves are evergreen or deciduous

Flowers:Pomegranates have beautiful orange-red and showy trumpet shaped flowers with ruffled petals. The flowers, which have silky scarlet petals, are about 2 in (5 cm) long, often double, and are produced over a long period in summer. The attractive scarlet, white or variegated flowers are over an inch across and have 5 to 8 crumpled petals and a red, fleshy, tubular calyx, which persists on the fruit. The flowers may be solitary or grouped in twos and threes at the ends of the branches.

The pomegranate is self-pollinated as well as cross-pollinated by insects. Cross-pollination increases the fruit set. Wind pollination is insignificant.

Showy flowers are home on the branch tips singly or as many as 5 in a cluster. They are 1 1/4 in (3 cm) wide and characterized by the thick, tubular, red calyx having 5 to 8 fleshy, pointed sepals forming a vase from which emerge the 3 to 7 crinkled, red, white or variegated petals enclosing the numerous stamensFruit:The pomegranate fruit is nearly round, globose, 2-3 in (5-7.6 cm) in diameter, and shiny reddish or yellowish green when mature. Crowned at the base, opposite the stem end by the prominent calyx. The fruit is technically a berry. It is filled with crunchy seeds each of which is encased in a juicy, somewhat acidic pulp that is itself enclosed in a membranous skin. The seeds, juice and pulp are eaten, but the yellowish membrane is too astringent. Inside it is divided into large segments by the walls and white, spongy tissue (rag), . Each compartment is bitter tissue into compartments packed with sacs filled with sweetly acid, juicy, red, pink or whitish pulp (technically the aril), separate the interior). In each sac there is one angular, soft or hard seed which represent about 52% of the weight of the whole fruit.The tough, leathery skin or rind is typically yellow overlaid with light or deep pink or rich red.

Fruit quality depends largely on sugar and acid content of the juice. A high quality pomegranate should also have an attractive skin, small seeds in the aril and should be free from sunburn, growth cracks, cuts, bruises, and decay. Skin color and smoothness are other quality indices. Sour and

sour-sweet pomegranates have reddish skin, in contrast to sweet pomegranate,

which have has yellowish-green skin.

Pomegranates have low ascorbate compared to many other fruits. Ascorbate ranges from 0.49 to 30 mg per 100 g juice, depending on the cultivar; skin thickness varies from 1.5 to 4.24 mm. Juice content of pomegranates is 45 to 65% of the whole fruit or 76 to 85% of the aril. Skin contains 30% tannin, which is used in medical and dye industries.

High temperatures are essential during the fruiting period to get the best fruit with high color and flavor. The pomegranate may begin to bear in 1 year after planting out, but 2-1/2 to 3 years is more common. Under suitable conditions the fruit should mature some 5 to 7 months after bloom. (Fruits not opening when mature)..

Growing (Training Young Trees):

Pomegranate plants are quite rounded shrubby but you don't train them, they form almost a bush. Trees form from the nursery are planted bare root in winter or early spring. The natural growth habit of the pomegranate is to produce many suckers from the base of the tree. If a single trunck tree is desired, only one vigorous sucker or the trunk of the original nursery tree should be selected and branches grown from it. Basal suckers should be removed periodically to promote growth form from the main trunk of the newly planted tree. If the orchard trees are to be developed into a multiple-trunk system, five or six vigorous

suckers should be selected around the base of the young tree and allowed to grow. Selection of the five or six suckers to be developed into permanent trunks may take two or, three or more years until good trunks are correctly positioned to form a sturdy and symmetrical tree. All other suckers should be removed in summer and during dormant pruning. .

Trees may be trained into a bush, single- or multiple-trunked tree. The bush form is satisfactory for backyards or hedgerows, but is undesirable for good commercial production. Many growers prefer the multi-trunk system. As sSingle-trunked trees may be completely killed except for suckers coming form the ground. Trees trained to a multiple trunck require less frequent care in pruning during the first few years and come into bearing sooner than trees having only one trunck.

Location and Planting Distances:Although they will grow and flower in part shade Pomegranates should be placed in the sunniest, warmest part of the yard or orchard for the best fruit, although they will grow and flower in part shade.

Pomegranate trees do not come into good commercial production for 5 or 6 years and fruit produced on young trees tends to mature late. Although double setting or close planting may increase early production, this practice is questionable. The standard planting distance is 20 x 20 feet (6.5m x 6.5m), with a few orchards planted at 18 x 18 feet (6m x 6m) or closer. Planting closer than 18 x 18 feet (6m x 6m) is not normally recommended for commercial pomegranate production. Trees planted too closely make picking difficult as they begin to crowd, and fFruit color develops more slowly when shaded in closely-planted or hedge-row plantings. As trees get older and denser, fruit scarring may increase. A few orchards are close planted at 12 x 14 feet (4m x 4.5m) within the row, rows being 18 (6m) to 20 feet (6.5m) apart. By maintaining a permanent weed free berm system of cultivation, close-planted orchards such as this can be maintained. Picking and pruning can be a problem under close-planted conditions because workers cannot move freely through the rows. Where hedges or border rows are desired, trees can be planted as close as 6 -10 feet (2 - 3m) apart and allowed to grow without training. They sucker readily and the resulting bushes form a dense hedge. When used as a hedge, plants are spaced 2-3 m (6-9 ft.) apart. Suckers will fill spaces and produce a compact hedge.

Soil: The pomegranate does best in well-drained ordinary soil, but also thrives on calcareous or acidic loam and a wide range of soils in between these extremes as well as rock-strewn gravel. It does well in moist, well-drained soils.

The pomegranate is more adaptable to a wider range of soils than are most fruit trees. It does best on deep loam, but satisfactory orchards grow on sandy as well as adobe-clay soils. The tree tolerates mild alkali conditions and areas of slow drainage, but yield, fruit quality and tree growth are unsatisfactory on soils having much excessive alkali or poor drainage. Pomegranate tolerates hot winds, drought, salty soils, intense sun and cold winters.

Fertilizing: In the West, the trees are given 2 to 4-ounce applications of ammonium sulfate or other nitrogen fertilizer the first two springsin Spring for the first two years. After that very little fertilizer is needed, although the plants respond to an annual mulch of rotted manure or other compost. No special fertilization is necessary for to produce fruit.Mature pomegranate trees require from ½ to 1 pound of actual total nitrogen per tree per year. This may be applied in one application in fall autumn or winter. On

light soils a split application may be desirable, one-half of the fertilizer being applied in late winter and the remainder in spring. Excessive or late applications of nitrogen may delay fruit maturity and color. Some evidence indicates that excessive nitrogen applications cause increased vegetative growth and reduce fruit production.

There is no evidence to show that phosphorous (P) or potassium (K) will improve growth or fruit quality when used to fertilize pomegranate orchards. Occasionally, zinc deficiency is evident in trees. This is corrected by applying zinc sprays during the dormant season or to the foliage in spring and early summer.

Weeds controlUnder different growing conditions where water is scare, pPomegranates as with other orchards are must be kept clean fromclear of weeds.

The old system of cultivation in two directions is expensive. When irrigation systems of either drip or microsprinkler lines exist, the land is cultivated in one direction only or is not cultivated at all. Weed control is may also be done by with herbicides. AAnnual weeds are controlled mainly with preemergence weed killers such as simazine. After germination, weeds are controlled by "Round up" (there might be a damage in young plants) for monocotyledone plants, and with 24D derivatives for dicotyledones. The combination of both is used when needed. For contact killing of some plants minute amounts of "Goal" are added when necessary.

Irrigation:Unlike most other fruit crops, the pomegranate can withstand long periods of drought.  Pomegranate shrubs that have not bee irrigated for several years continue to thrive.  However, like the olive, which can withstand long periods with little water also, it will not produce large crops of good quality fruit without adequate moisture.  Most growers apply about the same amount of water during the season as required by citrus.  Most growers’ feel that little water once established, in the late summer and early fall but water deeply and regularly for good fruit production is essential.To produce large corps of good-quality fruit, pomegranates require about same amount of water and frequency of application as citrus. Adequate soil moisture must be maintained throughout the growing season, particularly as harvest approaches in late summer and early fall Autumn, when it helps reduce the number of split fruit.

Most orchards are irrigated under the furrow system, but sprinkler and drip irrigation systems are satisfactory if properly designed. Orchards thrive under noncultivation and semi-noncultivation berm systems. Weed control is difficult because at present no preemergence herbicides are registered for use in pomegranate orchards. In California, overhead sprinklers supply irrigation water.To establish new plants they should be watered every 2 to 4 weeks during the dry season. The Water requirements for pomegranate are about the same as for citrus--125-150 cm (50-60 in.) per year. Trees should be irrigated every 7-10 days in the absence of significant rainfall.

Propagation:Propagation is by seeds, stem cuttings in summer, hardwood cuttings in winter, or layerslayering.

Hardwood cuttings are the easiest and most satisfactory method of growing pomegranates. Cuttings are made 10 to 20 in (25-50 cm) long of wood 1/4 to ½ inch n diameter. These are cut in the winter form the previous season's shoot or sucker growth. The leaves should be removed and the cuttings treated with rooting hormone of 50 ppm. indole-butyric acid and planting planted at a moisture level of 15.95% greatly enhances root development and survival. The cuttings are Tthen inserted about two-thirds their length into the soil or into some other warm rooting medium leaving just the top 2 buds exposed. out iIn open

Cuttings are made 10 to 20 in

Watering regularly for good fruit production is essential

ground cuttings should be placed 6 to 8 inches apart in nursery rows, with about 2 to 3 inches of the top exposed. It is not necessary to callus the cutting to insure rooting. The plant is allowed to grow for one season in the nursery and then transplanted bare root to the orchard during the next winter or early spring.

It is easy to press the seed out of the pulp, pPomegranate seeds germinate readily even when merely thrown onto the surface of loose soil and the seedlings spring up with vigor; However, to avoid seedling variation. Plants can also be air-layered but grafting is seldom successful. Grafting uses pomegranate seedling rootstock. Birds enjoy the pomagranate fruits, and the seeds are not digested, so you can expect seedlings to come out a little bit everywhere in the proximity of a fruit-producing pomegranate tree. Rooted cuttings or seedlings are set out in pre-fertilized pits 2 ft (60 cm) deep and wide and are spaced 12 to 18 ft (3.5-5.5 m) apart, depending on the fertility of the soil. Initially, the plants are cut back to 24 to 30 in (60-75 cm) in height and after they branch out the lower branches are pruned to provide a clear main stem.

Plants should be cut back when they are about 2 ft. high. From this point allow 4 or 5 shoots to develop, which should be evenly distributed around the stem to keep the plant well balanced. These should start about 1 ft. from the ground, giving a short but well-defined trunk. Any shoots, which appear above or below, should be removed, as should any suckers.

Climate Adaptation:Pomegranates prefer a semi-arid mild-temperate to subtropical climate and are naturally adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers. The tree adapts well to container culture and will sometimes fruit in a greenhouse. It thrives in areas with long, hot, dry summers and cool winters or those, which are continuously, warm and dry.  High temperatures are needed for ripening.  Minimum temperatures of 15 degrees F. may not injure the plant severely when it is dormant, but it is sensitive to cold in the early spring after the buds have started to swell.  In the tropics it thrives at an elevation below 3,300 feet.

Pruning:Pomegranate trees require a small amount of pruning each winter to maintain shape and good bearing surface and encourage production of good quality fruit. Even mature trees grow vigorously, sending up a large number of shoots and basal suckers that require removal each year.

Trees tend toward a bushy habit with many suckers arising from the root and crown area. Allowing only one trunk to develop can produce tree-type plants. Additional suckers should be removed frequently around main trunk(s). Prune to produce stocky, compact framework in the first 2 years of growth. Cut trees back to 60-75 cm (2-2.5 ft.) at planting and develop three to five symmetrically spaced scaffold limbs by pinching back new shoots, the lowest at least 20-25 cm (8-10 in.) from the ground. Shorten branches to 3/5 of their length during the winter following planting. Remove interfering branches and sprouts leaving two or three shoots per scaffold branch. Light Remove dead or damaged wood during late winter months. Remove sprouts and suckers as they appear.

It is recommended that, for the first 3 years, the branches be judiciously shortened annually to encourage the maximum number of new shoots on all sides, prevent straggly development, and achieve a strong, well-framed plant. After the 3rd year, only suckers and dead branches are removed.

Some pruning and tying with ropes for support may be needed for the first 3 or 4 years or until trunks are large and rigid enough to support the developing top.

The short spurs on 2- or 3-year-old wood growing mostly on the outer edge of the tree produce flowers. These spurs develop on slow growing; mature wood that bears fruit for several years, but as the tree increases in size the wood loses

Allow 4 or 5 shoots to develop

Trees require a small amount of pruning each winter to maintain shape and good bearing

its fruiting habit. Light, annual pruning encourages growth of new fruit spurs and heavy pruning reduces yields. Care should therefore be taken to leave adequate fruit-bearing wood on the tree, while removing crossing over or interfering branches. In addition, some thinning out of crowded bearing areas helps produce larger fruit having fewer wind scars.

For mature orchards, light annual dormant pruning in addition to suckering during the growing season is recommended. 

Blooming Habits:If you are interested in the fruits avoid the miniature or double flowered varieties, since they either produce few or small fruits.For most fruiting varieties, large orange-red flowers are produced in April (Northen hemosphere), but some varieties are more or less everblooming. Ornamental yellow or white flowered varieties are sometimes seen. Some varieties form jumbo blooms of up to 4 inches. The multiple-flowering varieties have two or more times the normal number of petals, with some producing dozens and dozens of petals per flower. Pomegranates like sun and won't bloom well with much shade.

Pollination The pomegranate is both self-pollinated and cross-pollinated by insects. There is very little wind dispersal of pollen. Self-pollination of bagged flowers has resulted in 45% fruit set. Cross-pollination has increased yield to 68%. In hermaphrodite flowers, 6 to 20% of the pollen may be infertile; in male, 14 to 28%. The size and fertility of the pollen vary with the cultivar and season.

Fruiting Habits:The pomegranate may begin to bear in 1 year after planting out, but 2 1/2 to 3 years is more common.The leathery skinned, attractive, red or yellow fruit vary in size from 2 to 5 inches. They are nearly globular with the notched, tubular calyx persisting. The cavity is filled with numerous seeds, each enclosed in its pink, transparent, juice sac. This juicy pulp is the edible portion of the fruit. It may be eaten out offrom the hand or made into a cooling drink by the addition of sugar and water. This is the original "grenadine". Pomegranate fruit range in size from smaller than a baseball up to a medium-sized cantaloupe. The rind, or exterior, of varieties preferred varieties is deep orange to nearly red. In China, the yellow varieties are the most popular. The little sack of pulp around each seed can range from nearly colorless through yellow and orange to almost beet red.

Preharvest treatsments of fruitsIn order to obtain big fruits of high quality, there is a need to thin the fruits. As in many other fruit species there is a negative correlation between the number of fruits and their size. Even distribution of fruits on the branches is desired: about 5 fruits on a group of small branches with a good (20 cm) distance between them fruits. Where a group of fruits develops, the touching fruits are removed. If Where fruits touch each other, the touching place has favourable conditions for development of insects exists.

From their local experience, farmers know how much they can load the tree without influencing fruit size. For example when a farmer has 400 trees per hectare (6×4 planting distance) and is aiming for 30 tons of 500 g fruits each, he will need 150 ½ kg fruits per tree at harvest. The fruits should be well distributed in the canopy. Some farmers thin more than once.

In order to obtain fruits without damage to the rind and with good colour, some farmers clean the small branches around the fruits that might scratch the fruit. By doing this they also expose the fruit to sunlight. There is an idea to use reflective plastic sheets underneath the foliage to improve colour.

Harvesting and Yield

The size and fertility of the pollen vary with the cultivar and season

Some varieties form jumbo blooms of up to 4 inches

Pomegranates can be harvested when they reach a certainthe required size and skin color.The fruits ripens 6 to 7 months after flowering. Growers generally consider the fruit ready for harvest if it makes a metallic sound when tapped. The fruit must be picked before over maturity when it tends to crack open if rained upon or under certain conditions of atmospheric humidity, dehydration by winds, or insufficient irrigation. Of course, one might assume that ultimate splitting is the natural means of seed release and dispersal.

The fruits should not be pulled off but clipped close to the base so as to leave no stem to cause damage in handling and shipping. Appearance is important, especially where pomegranates may be purchased primarily to enhance table arrangements and other fall (harvest-time) decorations. Too much sun exposure causes sunscald–brown, russeted blemishes and roughening of the rind. The fruit ships well, cushioned with paper or straw, in wooden crates or, for nearby markets, in baskets. Commercial California growers grade the fruits into 8 sizes, pack in layers, unwrapped but topped with shredded plastic, in covered wood boxes, precool rapidly, and ship in refrigerated trucks. The pomegranate is equal to the apple in having a long storage life. It is best maintained at a temperature of 32° to 41° F. and can be kept for a period of up to 7 months within this temperature range and at 80 to 85% relative humidity without shrinking or spoiling. The fruits improves in storage, becoming juicier and more flavorful.

Fruit is often harvested before becoming fully ripe because in the full ripe stage it may split. This of course is dependent of the weather and the condition and maturity of the fruit.  It May continue to harvest through October (Northen Hemosphere).Picking begins in August (Northen Hemosphere) before fruit is fully mature and may continue through October. Early-maturing orchards are color picked, and two picks usually are usually makingmade. Average production is 5 to 6 tons per acre.

For commercial handling, picking should be completed as soon as possible after fruit has reached maturity standards. Rain on maturing fruit will cause many to split before they can be picked. Pickers harvest fruit with clippers and bags like those used to pick oranges. For shipment, fruit is packed into 25- to 28-pound net Los Angeles lug boxes by size, and fruit may be waxed to enhance the appearance; it can be held in cold storage for several weeks without losing market quality. Fruit continues to develop to a darker skin color when held at room temperature, and may last several weeks in decorative arrangements. Fruit must meet certain maturity standards for packing shipping. The juice must pass a minimum color and acid test, and fruit must be free from rot, decay, sunburn, bruises, cuts, and cracks.

Other maturity indices are titratable acidity (TA) and soluble solids (SSC). Each pomegranate type requires a certain TA, SSC at harvest. TA of pomegranates varies between 0.13 and 4.98% at harvest. The TA is < 1% in sweet cultivars, 1 to 2% in sweet-sour cultivars and > 2% in sour cultivars.SSC of pomegranates varies from 8.3 to 20.5% at harvest. Thus, maturity indices depend on cultivar. For example, a TA < 1.85% and SSC =17% are recommended for California-grown ‘Wonderful’ fruit. Juice tannin content < 0.25% is preferred and red juice color equal to or darker than Munsel color chart 5R-5/12 is desirable.

Cultivar 'Wonderful' is deemed ready for harvest when the soluble solids (SSC) reach 15%. In California, maturity has been equated with 1.8% titratable acidity (TA) and SSC of 17% or more. The fruit cannot be ripened off the tree even with ethylene treatment.

The yellow varieties are the most popular

Picking begins before fruit is fully mature

Average production is 5 to 6 tons per acre

Pomeke's innovative; easy-to-use seed separator processes pomegranates in just seconds.

The primary commercial growing regions of the world are the Near East, India and surrounding countries and southern Europe. In California commercial cultivation is centered in the southern San Joaquin Valley. More pomegranate fruits probably winds up as decorations in fruit bowls than are consumed.

Wine making

Pomegranate juice is widely used to make high quality wine in Medterinan countries. Many homemade labels are well known as the best and sell in higher prices than any other types.

Food products

In many countries pomegranates is one of the best fruits to eat reqularly. It is tasty and rich with vitamins. In Europian culture it may seems less consuming as fruits because the difficulties in opeing and getting out seeds.

Pre-cut fruits, is one of the existing market activities which offer fresh or frozen seeds packages ready to eat using developed by “entrepeneur Itzik Gvili” which can processes pomegranates in just seconds.eat

Juice can be major product, which may produce, in different types and labeproducedls. By Ssqueezing kernels in a cloth bag or by cutting fruit in half and using an orange reamer to extract the juice. Large extractors similar to grape crushers are used for greater amounts of juice. The juice is used many ways in a variety of foods and beverages. Grenadine is making by mixing equal parts of pomegranate juice and sugar. Allow to standing for 3 days, bringing to a the boil and simmering for 3 minutes, strain into sterilized jars and seal. The resulting syrup is widely used as a flavoring in mixed drinks, as a topping for ice cream and desserts, or as a sweetener for grapefruit halves.

Today, pomegranates make nice ornaments for fruit bowls or Christmas wreaths, as the fruit are is marketed around the holiday season. Housewives commonly use the kernels as a garnish for desserts and salads-for a real treat, kernels may be rolled in small cream cheese balls to be served as appetizers. Citrus fruit sections and slices of apples or pears marinated in pomegranate juice are attractive in salads and fruit cocktail. Occasionally, the juice is used in making gelatin desserts, icing for cakes and pudding sauces.

Health food products is another potentioal, “SOLGAR” Pomegranate Fruit is one example of what you can find on selves ove the world. It is mainly raw Pomegranate Fruit Powder. This research was carried out at the University of Gaziosmanpaşa of the Agricultural Faculty and the Inspection Laboratory of the Ministry of Agriculture in Tokat Province between the years 1997 and 1998. Five pomegranates were taken from each genotype under investigation, to conduct

physical and chemical analyses. According to two years average, fruit weight was between 140.9-281.1 g, the weight of 100 kernels varied between 24.1-41.4 g, percentage of kernels changed from 43.4 % up to 61.3 %, skin thickness

Juice can be major product, which may produce, in different types and labels

It is mainly raw Pomegranate Fruit Powder

Using Seed separator, which can processes pomegranates in just seconds

Ancient Egyptian first made wine from Pomegranate

varied between 2.82-3.59 mm. Skin bottom colour was yellow, skin upper colour was pink-red, and fruit let colour changed form clear pink to dark red. In addition to this total soluble solid content was found between 13.5 %-16.7 % and total acidity between 2.66 %-3.58 %.

Food Value Per 100 g of Edible Portion*

Calories

63-78

Moisture 72.6-86.4 gProtein 0.05-1.6 gFat Trace only to 0.9 gCarbohydrates 15.4-19.6 gFiber 3.4-5.0 gAsh 0.36-0.73 gCalcium 3-12 mgPhosphorus 8-37 mg

Iron

0.3-1.2 mg

Sodium 3 mgPotassium 259 mgCarotene None to TraceThiamine 0.003 mgRiboflavin 0.012-0.03 mgNiacin 0.180-0.3 mgAscorbic Acid 4-4.2 mg

Citric Acid

0.46-3.6 mg

Boric Acid 0.005 mg

Tannin and dye The rind of Punica granatum has been used in traditional fabric dyeing. A range of possible colors can be produced by Pomegranate including includes yellow, brown, violet and blue. It is used in dyeing leather. Used as both as a tannin and a dye in the tanning of leather.

Herbal medicine This plant is used as a traditional herbal remedy. It's used as an anthelmintic, an astringent and a carminative. This species requires professional guidance for safe usage. It is illegal in some countries to possess or use this plant without proper certification. The rind and the bark and even the pulp are used to prepare herbal remedies. Toxicity Tannin content of no more than 0.25% in the edible portion is the desideratuma desirable characteristic. Many studies have shown that tannin is carcinogenic and excessive ingestion of tannin from one or more sources, over a prolonged period, is detrimental to health.

Medicinal Uses:The juice of wild pomegranates yields citric acid and sodium citrate for pharmaceutical purposes. Pomegranate juice enters intois used in preparations for treating dyspepsia and is considered beneficial in leprosy.

The bark of the stem and root contains several alkaloids including “isopelletierine” which is active against tapeworms. Either a decoction of the bark, which is very bitter, or the safer, insoluble Pelletierine Tannate may be employed. Overdoses are emetic and purgative, produce dilation of pupilapupils, dimness of sight, muscular weakness and paralysis.

Because of their tannin content, extracts of the bark, leaves, immature fruit and fruit rind have been given as astringents to halt diarrhea, dysentery and hemorrhages. Dried, pulverized flower buds are employed as a remedy for bronchitis. In Mexico, a decoction of the flowers is gargled to relieve oral and throat inflammation. Leaves, seeds, roots and bark have displayed hypotensive, antispasmodic and anthelmintic activity in bioassayproperties. Many secienific studies about plant benefits have been issued all over the world. “Chemopreventive and adjuvant therapeutic potential of pomegranate for human breast cancer” is the most recent one by Department of Pharmacy, Pusan National University, Korea.

The following are ways you can use pomegranate in your homes and communities;

Daily home use food

Conjunctivitis Prepare a paste from the green leaves of the plant by washing and grinding on a stone grinder, then apply to the eyes.

Diarrhoea About 3 inches of bark is put into 4 cups of water, which is boiled, reduced to 1 cup and then strained and taken. Dosage: Half a cup in the morning and then again in the evening till cured. Alternatively prepare a decoction of fruit peel. Roast the fruit, crush and then take out the juice.

Vomiting Half a cup of pomegranate leaves are crushed, put in 1 cup of boiling water for 15 minutes and then drunk. Dosage: 1 cup once only.

Dysentery A combination of rind of fruit and bark is an efficacious remedy, to be taken internally. Also the juice of the pulp is advised. Grinding into a paste and making an infusion, which is filtered before consuming, can prepare the rind and bark.

Intestinal Worms’s Ripe fruit skin is dried in the shade and then crushed to prepare a fine powder obtained by straining through a muslin cloth. Dosage: 1 teaspoon of the powder is taken with water in the morning and evening for 3 days. Or fresh bark, 1 part fresh bark with 20 parts of water, boil till reduces till half, filter, five ml half hourly four times on an empty stomach and then give castor oil.

Weakness: The fruit pulp is crushed in a cloth and juice obtained. To 1 cup of juice, 2 cups of sugar are added. This is boiled to a thick syrup consistency. Dosage: 2 teaspoons of the syrup are taken in the morning and evening until cured.

Abscess: A 3-inch long strip of bark is rubbed on a stone to make a paste. The paste is applied in the morning and evening until cured.

Astringent; The plant has a cooling effect on the body and is thus good for relieving burning sensations. 

The fruit is taken for uterine prolapse.

Used plant parts All parts of the tree have been utilized as sources of tannin for curing leather. Trunk bark contains 10 to 25% tannin and was formerly important in the production of Morocco leather. . In Japan, an insecticide is derived from the bark. Root bark has a 28% tannin content, the leaves, 11%, and the fruit rind as much as 26%. The latter is a by-product of the "anardana" industry. Rind and the flowers yield dyes for textiles. Leaves steeped in vinegar can made into Ink. In Japan, an insecticide is derived from the bark. Wood (pale-yellow) is very hard and, while available only in small dimensions, is used for walking sticks and in woodcrafts. Trees are used as an ornamental shrub in backyards and hedges along roadways throughout the State of California. 

The interior of the pomegranate fruit is composed of many pink-red sections of pulp-like tissue, each of which contains a small seed grain. These sections are usually, slightly inaccurately, referred to as pomegranate seeds.Dried pomegranate seeds stem from sour varieties whose fruits cannot be eaten raw. The bark of the pomegranate tree may be used as a very strong laxans (purgative), but it has several serious side-effects.

Pomegranate seeds have, today, culinary importance as a spice only in Northern India, where they are dried and used as flavouring. Their subtle, sweet-sour and at the same time tart flavour is most popular in the union states Punjab and Gujrat in India's Northwest. They are mostly used for vegetables and legumes; sometimes, they show up in Moghul-style non-vegetarian food. Gujrat's cookery differs from all other regional cuisines of India by its marked preference for spicy and sweet combinations. Due to a sizeable Jain minority and the influence of Mahatma Gandhi, who was born in the small city of Porbandar in central Gujrat, its inhabitants are generally strict vegetarians, stricter than in other North Indian states. Fiery vegetable curries with more than a simple hint of sweetness are often decorated with fresh pomegranate seeds as a contrasting garnish.

Seeds are source of herbal products

The fruit is taken for uterine prolapse

The whole fruit is used for decorating dinner or banquet tables, adds special interest to "horn of plenty" arrangements at Thanksgiving, and brings color to baskets with gourds and miniature pumpkins.

Grenadine, a reduced juice from fresh pomegranate seeds, is common in Northern India not only for desserts, but also to marinate meat; due to its content of proteolytic enzymes, it acts as a meat tenderizer.

Lastly, dried pomegranate seeds make an interesting alternative for raisins in cakes and other European sweets.

The whole fruit is used for decorating dinner or banquet tables

Keeping Quality and Storage (Grades, Sizes and Packaging):There are no U.S. grades; fruit are generally packed into 2-layer tray packs or bulk cartons. Pomegranates can be classified into four groups based on size. For the Turkish standard, sizes are defined as Small (150 to 200 g, 65 to 74 mm diameter, 25 to 34 fruit/5-kg carton); Medium (201 to 300 g, 75 to 84 mm diameter, 17 to 25 fruit/5-kg carton); Large (301 to 400 g, 85 to 94 mm diameter, 13 to 17 fruit/5-kg carton) and Extra Large (401 to 500 g, 94 to 104 mm diameter, 10 to 13 fruit/5-kg carton.

The pomegranate is equal to the apple in having a long storage life. It is best maintained at a temperature of 32º to 41º F (0º-5º C). The fruits improves in storage, become becoming juicier and more flavorful; it may be kept for a period of 7 months within this temperature range and at 80 to 85% relative humidity, without shrinking or spoiling. At 95% relative humidity, the fruit can be kept only 2 months at 41º F (5º C); ) but for longer periods at 50º F (10º C). After prolonged storage, internal breakdown is evidenced by faded, streaky pulp of flat flavor. 'Wonderful' Control has been achieved by delaying harvest and storing in 2% O2 at 35.6º F (2º C). Subsequent transfer to 68º F (20º C) dispels off-flavor from ethanol accumulation.

Pomegranates can be kept for seven months in 6 °C (42.8 °F) with 90% RH humidity without shrinking or spoiling.

Optimum Storage Conditions:Optimum storage temperature varies by cultivar, production area and post harvest treatment. Storage of ‘Wonderful’ < 5 °C (41 °F) resulted in chilling injury; severity of symptoms increased with time and temperature below 5 °C. Control of RH is critical in storage, because skin desiccates readily at low RH, resulting in hard, darkened rinds, which are unattractive and reduce marketability. RH of 90 to 98% is preferred for storage. Waxing fruit and storage in plastic liners can reduce weight loss.

Retail Outlet Display Considerations:Do not water sprinkle or top ice.

Chilling Sensitivity: Pomegranates are susceptible to chilling injury and should not be stored < 5 °C (41 °F). External symptoms include rind pitting, brown discoloration of the skin and increased susceptibility to decay. Internal symptoms include a pale aril color and brown discoloration of the white segments separating the arils.

Ethylene Production and Sensitivity:Pomegranates produce very low amounts of ethylene at < 0.1 µL kg -1 h -1 at up to 10 °C (50 °F) and < 0.2 µL kg -1 h -1 from 10 to 20 °C (Elyatem and Kader, 1984). Fruit are not particularly sensitive to ethylene exposure, although ethylene at =1 µL L -1 stimulates respiration and autocatalytic ethylene. Ben-Arie et al. (1984) reported that ethylene treatment of ‘Wonderful’ pomegranates caused a rapid but transient rise in CO2, but no change in SSC, TA, or fruit and juice color. Pomegranates do not ripen after harvest and must be picked fully ripe.

Respiration Rates:Pomegranate is a non-climacteric fruit and has a very low respiration rate that declines with time in storage.Temperature mg CO2 kg -1 h -15 °C 4 to 8

Pomegranates fruit are generally packed into 2-layer tray packs

Retail Outlet Display Considerations:Do not water sprinkle or top ice.

10 °C 8 to 1620 °C 16 to 36To get mL kg -1 h -1 , divide the mg kg -1 h -1 rate by 2.0 at 0 °C (32 °F), 1.9 at 10 °C (50 °F), and 1.8 at 20 °C (68 °F). To calculate heat production, multiply mg kg -1 h -1 by 220 to get BTU per ton per day or by 61 to get kcal per metric ton per day.

Physiological Disorders:Chilling injury (CI) is the most common physiological disorder during storage. Incidence and severity of CI depend on temperature and duration. Symptoms are especially apparent upon removal of fruit from cold storage to 20 °C (68 °F). External CI symptoms include surface pitting, skin discoloration, scald and dead skin tissues. Internal symptoms include dead tissues, brown discolouration of the white segments separating the arils and pale aril color (Elyatem and Kader, 1984).Husk scald (brown superficial discoloration) is another manifestation of CI in pomegranate; it is a restricted to the husk. At advanced stages, scalded areas became moldy. Scald symptoms become evident after 8 weeks storage at 2 °C (35.6 °F). Splitting and cracking are physiological disorders that occur to fruit on the tree. The rind shows various degrees of cracking, which often serves as entry points for decay organisms (Salunkhe and Desai, 1984). Splitting and cracking can be prevented using regular irrigation; the last irrigation must be done 15 to 20 days before harvest.

Internal breakdown is another physiological disorder in pomegranate fruit in which the pulp-bearing seeds (arils) do not develop their typical red color and are somewhat flattened rather than plump (Ryall and Pentzer, 1974).Postharvest Pathology: Gray Mold (Botrytis cinerea) rot, Green Mold (Penicillium digitatum) rot and Cladosporium spp. are the main postharvest diseases of pomegranate fruit. Gray Mold usually starts at the calyx. As it progresses, the skin becomes light-brown, tough and leathery. Heart rot is another disorder that may be caused by Aspergillus spp. and Alternaria spp. Affected fruit show slightly abnormal skin color and a mass of blackened arils; disease develops while fruit are on the tree (Salunkhe and Desai, 1984).

Quarantine Issues:None.

Suitability as a Fresh-cut Product:None are fresh-cut at this time.

Special Considerations:Pomegranates do not ripen after harvest and must be picked fully-ripe to ensure the best eating quality.

Pomegranate—A Backyard Favorite Pomegranate trees make an attractive addition to home gardens. That's whyFor this reason this Persian native, known to scientists as Punica granatum, interests landscape architects and backyard gardeners alike.

Pomegranates are susceptible to chilling injury and should not be stored < 5 °C (41 °F)

Extra Large (401 to 500 g, 94 to 104 mm diameter, 10-to 13 fruit/5-kg carton

Pomegranates are relatively free of most pests and diseases. Minor problems are leaf and fruit spot and foliar damage by white flies, thrips, mealybugs and scale insects. The roots are seldom bothered by gophers but deer will browse on the foliage.

One widespread insect pest on pomegranates in the commercial producing areas of California is the flat mite, Brevipalpus lewisi. This small, light-reddish mite hibernates under flakes of bark on larger tree limbs in foliage in mid to late summer, causing a russeting and checking on mature fruit.The pomegranate butterfly, Virachola isocrates, lays eggs on flower-buds and the calyx of developing fruits; in a few days the caterpillars enter the fruit by way of the calyx. These fruit borers may cause loss of an entire crop unless the flowers are sprayed 2 times 30 days apart. A stem borer sometimes makes holes right through the branches. Either Pleuroplaconema or Ceuthospora Phyllosticta may cause twig dieback. Discoloration of fruits and seeds results from infestation by Aspergillus castaneus. The fruits may be sometimes disfigured by Sphaceloma punicae. Dry rot from Phomopsis sp. or Zythia versoniana may destroy as much as 80% of the crop unless these organisms are controlled by appropriate spraying measures. Excessive rain during the ripening season may induce soft rot. A post-harvest rot caused by Alternaria solani was observed in India in 1974. It is particularly prevalent in cracked fruits. Minor problems are leaf and fruit spot caused by Cercospora, Gloeosporium and Pestalotia sp.; also foliar damage by whitefly, thrips, mealybugs and scale insects; and defoliation by Euproctis spp. and Archyophora dentula. Termites may infest the trunk. In India, paper or plastic bags or other covers may be put over the fruits to protect them from borers, birds, bats and squirrels.

Omnivorous leafroller, Platynola stultana, has recently become a serious pest in many pomegranate orchards in central California. The larvae of this insect are first observed in the tops of trees nesting in shoot terminals in June and July (Northen hemoshere). As fruit begins to ripen, larvae enter in protected locations; under leaves, near the stem, or where two fruits are touching. Larvae also cause channels to appear in the rind where they feed under leaves. After entering the fruit they feed on kernels and pupate at the entry location.

The fruit usually rots just inside the entry location. Control is difficult because timing must be exact when larvae are first noticed nesting in the shoots. It is difficult to get good coverage because the larvae plaster leaves together or to fruit, and are thus well protected.

The western leaf-footed plant bug and grape and Comstock mealybug have caused damage to pomegranates in isolated areas of California with control occasionally being necessary. In addition citricola scale, black scale, California red scale, melon aphid, greenhouse whitefly, katydid and thrips (citrus greenhouse and flower) also attack the pomegranate but seldom, if ever, become serious pest. Root-knot nematode has been identified in pomegranate roots. Not normally considered a serious pest, it may be responsible for a weakening effect on trees, particularly those planted in sandy areas or areas where the root-knot nematode population is very high.

Any serious disease does not affect pomegranate trees

Few insecticides or nematocides are registered for use in pomegranate orchards. Control measures for some of the foregoing pests must follow prescribed methods given under special permits through the local Agricultural Commissioner. Any Noserious disease does notis known to affect pomegranate trees. The fruit, however, is frequently damaged by heart rot, caused by Alternaria fungus. Heart rot infection takes place in the bloom, and progresses to the interior of the fruit. The central cavity of the infected fruit is partially or totally decayed, yet the rind remains unaffected. Experienced pickers throw out most infected fruit, although infection is difficult to detect. At present, there is no known control. Removal of old fruit from the tree during pruning may eliminate a potential source of fungus as well as shoot dieback for the following season. The disease seems to affect more fruit if there is much excessive rain in the blooming season, thus suggesting that moisture in the bloom increases amount of infection.

The most destructive disease observed on trees in Florida causes a leaf blotch and fruit spot. Leaf symptoms include small, circular to angular, dark, reddish-brown to black areas, 4-5 mm (0.25 in.) in diameter. Infected leaves are pale green and fall prematurely. Fruit symptoms are small, conspicuous, dark brown spots, initially circular, becoming irregular. At least three sprays per year of neutral copper fungicide gives desired control. Scale mites occasionally attack the plant, but these do little damage. Sulfur dust applied in early June offers good mite control. Scale insects can be controlled by an application of 3% oil spray during the winter when the leaves are not present. Codling Moth Control With “Soft” Chemicals Codling Moth is the most damaging insect pest of apples, pears, walnuts, and Asian pears in the San Joaquin Valley. Traditional chemicals used in controlling this serious pest have included products in the organophosphate and carbamate families of pesticides.Several of these traditional restricted use chemicals are being eliminated because of their highly toxic nature and potential danger to the environment. Seeking out natural products or “soft” chemicals which can control codling moth and demonstrating the effectiveness of these safer materials has helped commercial tree fruit growers move away from the use of many dangerous chemicals. Replacing these toxic chemicals with environmentally friendly products poses less risk to the grower, consumer, and the environment.

Pomegranates are relatively free of most pests and diseases

Experiences in Establishing a Pomegranate Orchard in WAAndrew Cohen My orchard has only been going for about three years. I am sort of a novice orchardist. I have a few observations in case anyone else is planning on setting out on a path roughly similar to the one I have taken. The first thing is: All numbers are bigger than you think. I set out the first day, and I had a thousand cuttings. I thought, well, I will just put them in pots. About a week later I had finished.

The second thing is: Kids don't weed. If you think your kids are going to come out and help you at weeding time, forget it. I have three of them, and they haven't pulled a single weed out yet.

The third one is: Particularly with fruit, more so than with broad acre crops where you can till part of it back into the soil, the whole process seems to be something of an argument with the soil. You are saying, "Come on, do it." and the soil is saying, "No, I won't." In a past life I had to learn about thermodynamics, probably irrelevant to orchards. The three laws of thermodynamics were explained to me thus: You can't win, you can't break even, and you can't not play. And that is pretty much the situation for a fruit grower. What you are trying to achieve mainly is trying to reduce the margin by which you lose.

The approach I have found so far, three years into the project, is that you treat the soil and the tree separately. On the one hand, you are trying to build the soil up, and that can be a long-term project. On the other hand you are trying to look after a tree which is doing its best to produce fruit, and it wants to do it this year, not next year. So you need to look after the tree as a separate issue. We have adopted a totally organic approach, the reasons for which will become obvious shortly.

Following that approach we have been reasonably successful, so far. Certainly in having substantial vegetative growth and some fairly significant fruit growth, most of which I pulled off this year because the trees are too small. By way of example, here are a couple of fruit I just harvested this morning on the way up. Three years ago the tree that I harvested that

from was a stick on somebody else's tree. I acquired the stick, it spent one year in the nursery, and this is now the end of its second summer in the ground.

Pomegranates do try their hardest. They are both demonstrative and forgiving. If you do something wrong, they will let you know, but they won't die on you. In fact,

Pomegranates are very forgiving trees!

a friend of mine chopped the top off one he didn't want and poured creosote on, and it came back stronger than ever.

It is kind of unusual to me that this is described as an unusual fruit. If it is unusual, it is only in Australia in this generation. Every person who has come to visit my orchard has said, "What are those?" or "We used to have those when we were kids," or "My aunt had one in the backyard," or "My parents had one on the farm." Every single person knew of pomegranates when they were a kid, even if they only picked them off the tree to throw at each other. There has been this generation where it has fallen out of favour. It is unusual now, perhaps, but that has not always been the case, and it certainly not the case in many other parts of the world.

Pomegranates are one of the six ancient fruits. They are unrelated, as far as I am aware, to any other fruit. It is revered in myth and legend in many countries. It is typically associated with fertility and health. In fact, modern research is bearing that out. That is actually one of the driving features of my endeavor now.

There are several hundred varieties of pomegranates. We will forget about the dwarf variety, because it doesn't really produce any fruit. I do have a sneaking suspicion that there is a nomenclatural war going on between the Russians and north Asians, and that they are actually describing the same trees. The Russians give them unpronounceable Russian names, and the Indians and Pakistanis give them equally unpronounceable names. We do know that the fruit seems to have originated from that crescent -- from Iran, through Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, north Asia. I have recently imported 14 varieties from the western slopes of the Himalayas, which will be released from quarantine at the end of this week. Apparently, they have done extremely well. Out of the seventy cuttings that were imported, we seem to have lost only two or three. They have handled the crossing of the equator, and the fact that they were dormant for literally two or three weeks only before they had to sprout again, and now someone is telling them that it is time to drop their leaves. They are a very forgiving tree. Perhaps it is a good tree for beginners. If you are thinking of setting up an orchard, and you think it would be good to have rows of trees to walk between and run your hands along and see in the sun in the late afternoon shining through these brilliant tangerine-coloured flowers, pomegranates are probably the way to go.

PropagationThe best way to propagate is from cuttings, softwood cuttings (sldom used). Seeds are a waste of time, they will never come true unless you are extraordinarily lucky. You can do layering, if you have the time to do it. But frankly, it is so easy to take cuttings that there is no reason to try anything else. They can also be grafted. If you want to get a larger tree sooner, you might try grafting.

Make the cutting about 20 to 30 cm long, about 5 mm across. Plant it on a slight angle in a potting mixture, leaving one but above the surface of the soil. Water regularly. It was my first mistake in the first year that I didn't water them enough. Out of the 1000 cuttings I had faithfully potted, personally, I lost 200 to 300 due to drying out. In the past year, the cuttings I took from my own trees, I probably lost under 5%. I currently have about 1000 sitting in my nursery block. By the time I get the Indian cultivars done, I will have about 20 major cultivars, ranging from wild pomegranates, seedless pomegranates through ones with fairly substantial seeds, and a wide range of sugar levels and juice levels.

Setting up the orchardThanks to David who went into a desktop analysis of my situation and drew me a picture that said, rip here and mound it and plant there, which is pretty much what we did. We ripped along the contours. We have two hills with gentle south-facing and gentle east-facing which get substantial amounts of sun. We ripped and mounded and planted just on the up-hill side of the mounds with a drip irrigation system running through.

The colors of the seeds are varies in muature Pomegranates

Planting distances were something, which I looked into quite carefully. I didn't have a lot of land, about 25 acres (10 hectares). I have allocated 11 or 12 acres to orchard. The rest is native bush, house, and places the kids can run around in. Being a bit greedy, I wanted to plant as many trees as I could. I went to the literature and found that the Americans typically recommend almost universally a 20-foot by 20-foot grid, a 6-metre grid. Yet the Russians were saying you could do it on a 4m by 2m or 4m by 3m grid. I chose to do it with 4m between rows and a tree planted every 3m along the rows. I am still wondering why the Americans chose their numbers, but I have a suspicion that they want to drive their stretch tractors through the orchard, so they need more room between the trees. A lot of excuses are made; if you plant them too close there will be shadowing or shading of the trees, which will reduce the sugar levels and colouring of the fruit. My trees aren't very big yet, but one of those fruits I showed you was growing directly underneath the canopy. I didn't know it was there, and if I had known, it probably would have been a victim of my early season pruning. We are intending to use reflective mulch to bring the light levels up, to offset any problems from shading. A number of apple, pomegranate and stone fruit growers in the US have been using reflective mulch. It is laid three or four weeks prior to harvest and reduces the number of passes required to harvest the fruit because it brings more of the fruit to maturity at the same time, increases Brix levels and produces better coloured fruit.

Pomegranates are drought resistant. If you run out of water, just forget about it. The tree won't die, but the fruit will fall off or split. It is reasonably frost tolerant. Where I am down at Yallingup we don't in fact get frost. Many areas in southern Russia where the trees are grown are under snow in winter. The trees will survive that. However, if there is a very substantial frost down to minus 10 or 20 degrees, then the trees will be in trouble. They might die back to the root, but it is unlikely the tree will be killed completely.

They are deciduous. It is important in the first few years to prune them to get a vase shape, open them up in the middle, cut out the crossing branches. The fruit does grow on the newer wood, which gives you a hint on where you will do future pruning: cut back some of the old wood to promote new growth. Trees grow to 4 to 6m depending on the cultivar, with a spread of about 3m. We harvest by hand, and I don't think there is any realistic way to do it by machine. Trees can live for hundreds of years.

I mentioned that we have adopted an organic approach. Pomegranates are blissfully immune, almost, to the usual pests, including kangaroos and rabbits. I have had no trouble at all, and we have countless kangaroos and rabbits around. The worst that happens is that the kangaroos do tend to dig around the drippers, looking for moisture. I have not experienced any problems with grasshoppers, aphids, other creepy crawly things. The big issue, as with other organic crops, is weeds. Unfortunately, the kids being no use, and the usual litany of herbicides being no use, A. because it is not allowed, and B. because that is one of the things that pomegranates will tell you. If your spray contractor is putting a foliar spray on your trees, and last year had Roundup in his tank, your pomegranates will tell you about it. You simply can't use herbicides anywhere near pomegranates. After some bad experiences with spray contractors, I ended up buying my own spray system to put on the back of a little truck I have. That has nothing in it other than the foliar sprays I use, and never will.

Tackling weeds is a job for you and your best burr hoe and pair of gloves, and get down your hands and knees. Mulching will help, and interplanting. We have started interplanting this year, now that we have 1200 trees in the ground up and growing. When it is complete in another 2 years time we will have about 3500 trees. The major interplant we are using is Kennedia, which is a native legume, for fixing nitrogen. It is perennial. There are other sorts of green manure we could use, but it is difficult in an orchard when you have surface drip irrigation, pipes everywhere, and tree roots close to the surface. You don't want to be going around tilling and burrowing, cutting up the tree roots and demolishing your irrigation system. We are putting in a bit of tansy and chives to keep the ants and other insects at bay.

In full production, you can expect 40 to 50 kg of fruit per tree

Organic pest control

In full production, you can expect 40 to 50 kg of fruit per tree. The average ripe pomegranate, depending on the cultivar, will weigh between 200 to 500 grams, 2 to 5 pomegranates per kilo. We are looking for a Brix level, total dissolved solids level, in excess of 17%. The harvest takes place, again depending on the cultivar, between early and late autumn.

The pure fruit market, just delivering it to fruit shops, is kind of short term. Anyone who knows about pomegranates realises that even someone who has a great passion for a variety of fruits will think that it is a wonderful fruit but it is a rotter to try to eat. It is hard work. You get in there with an apron and rubber gloves and it takes the enjoyment out of a nice afternoon with some fruit. I couldn't really justify to the tax office the enjoyment I get just from wandering up and down the orchard with the late-afternoon light coming through the beautiful tangerine flowers, so we looked for other things to do with it. Juice, obviously, is one of them.

There is an enormous amount of medical research over the last 3 to 4 years coming out about pomegranates, published in a wide range of journals. A large number of patents have been granted on new drugs derived from fractions of pomegranates. Essentially the claims that are being made, with fair medical evidence, to date, are an anti-oxidant level four times that of green tea or red wine, anticancer and antimetastatic functions, an alternative to hormone replacement therapy. It does actually contain an estrone that is identical to estrogen. Someone raised this with me recently, saying that estrogen is linked with breast cancer. The properties in pomegranates, which are being used as a replacement to HRT, are quite separate from the estrone, and the amount is small. The fractions that are required to produce these pharmacological products are derived from the skin of the fruit, from the juice, and from the seeds, which is why we are getting a variety of fruit, some of which contain fairly large seeds, because that is where the oil comes from. Getting the seeds out from inside the arils, which are the little red buds that have the juice in them, is in itself another problem, but we will work our way through one problem at a time. At the moment all the pomegranates that are going into the pharmacological supply industry are coming from North America, so we do have an out-of-season advantage by developing an industry in Australia able to supply fresh fruit. We would be looking to setting up some post-harvest processing, as well, to extract at least the three parts: to separate the juice and concentrate it; separate and perhaps extract oil from the seeds; and to separate the husk or skin, as well. And then deliver that to the pharmacology plants.

There are other traditional medicinal uses, but I think the ones that are going to drive the market and appeal to people, if the pomegranate industry exists, can develop the same sort of marketing that the wine industry has, which says, this is not only enjoyable, but is extremely good for you, look at all the Frenchmen and Italians eating enormous quantities of fat and following it with red wine and they are all healthy. We need to try and do the same thing and promote pomegranate juice as something, which is particularly good for you. That would build up a fairly substantial market.

There are other processed goods that can be derived from pomegranates: molasses, jam, and cordials - it is a genuinely red cordial, no artificial colouring needed. It is the basis of Grenadine, for anyone who wishes to get into the liqueur business. There is in fact a vintner down in Cowaramup who is planning to develop his own label of Grenadine. Tea, it seems you can make tea out of anything. You can use both the leaves and the rind to produce ink, and tannin, for tanning leather. There is almost no part of the plant that can't be used. I wouldn't recommend using the bark and the roots, because that means the end of the tree.

A mature tree could easily produce in excess of 100 cuttings per year to produce new trees. I pruned 600 trees last year, and could easily have put in 3000 or 4000 cuttings, except I didn't want to get involved with all the potting. Those 600 trees at that stage were only one year old. When my orchard is complete, I could produce 100,000 cutting per year. If the market can be demonstrated, the industry could be

propagated quite simply. Given that conditions in Australia are right, given that we have a southern hemisphere advantage, and that there is very little other southern hemisphere production (a small amount in Indonesia), I think that the outlook for the pomegranate market could be extremely strong.

If anyone wants pomegranate cuttings, I will have cuttings in July. I have seedlings now.

As part of one of my arrangements with one of the drug companies, I will be committing to a three-year project to develop the optimum organic orchard husbandry protocol for Australia, in order to produce pharmacological grade fruit. That also will be made available to other growers in Australia. To give you an idea of what we are doing already: foliar sprays, using azotobacter nitrogen fixing microbes on the leaves; also vermiliquid, fish oil, kelp, trace elements, and molasses. They are all used as foliar sprays. On the ground, just mulching. This year we will be slashing every month to cut down seed heads, and push the grass onto the rows where the trees are growing. We are doing remineralisation using rock dust and rock phosphate as part of a long-term strategy of building the soil back up. Investigating, haven't concluded, the use of zeolites as a means of enhancing the trace element buffering.

Where I'm growing 3500 trees might seem like a lot, I'm kind of land-locked. I can't get any more land, I won't be able to do any more trees. If the industry takes off, it is not a commercially sensible production that I would go into producing a label of Grenadine, for example. I can certainly supply fruit to people who want to, or to the drug companies. I can help manage the process of consolidation of growers here, post-harvest processing and shipping of semi-processed product to the drug companies.

There are a number of producers of juices we could talk to; combinations of pomegranate and apple or orange juice are a possibility. I have spent some time designing a gadget to overcome the problem of getting juice out of a pomegranate. I think there may be some kind of a yuppie market, where you buy three pomegranates and one of these little gadgets and take it to the office and spend a while bashing the fruit on the table and then ramming in the gadget and putting it over a glass to make your health drink for the day.