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A pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall.
A pomegranate ( Punica granatum ) is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or small tree growing between five and eight meters tall. The pomegranate is mostly native to the Iranian Plateau and the Himalayas in north Pakistan and Northern India. It has been cultivated in the Caucasus since ancient times, and today, is widely cultivated throughout Armenia, Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Syria, Iraq, Egypt, China, Burma, Saudi Arabia, Israel, the drier parts of southeast Asia, the Mediterranean region of Southern Europe, and tropical Africa. [ 1 ] Introduced into Latin America and California by Spanish settlers in 1769, pomegranate is now cultivated in parts of California and Arizona for juice production. [ 2 ]
In the Northern Hemisphere, the fruit is typically in season from September to February. [ 3 ] In the Southern Hemisphere, it is in season from March to May.
The pomegranate is a very ancient fruit, mentioned in the Homeric Hymns and the Book of Exodus. [ 4 ] Yet, it has still to reach mainstream prominence in the commercial markets of North America and the Western Hemisphere.
The leaves are opposite or sub-opposite, glossy, narrow oblong, entire, 3–7 cm long and 2 cm broad. The flowers are bright red, 3 cm in diameter, with four to five petals (often more on cultivated plants). Some fruitless varieties are grown for the flowers alone. The edible fruit is a berry and is between a lemon and a grapefruit in size, 5–12 cm in diameter with a rounded hexagonal shape, and has thick reddish skin and around 600 seeds. [ 6 ] Each seed has a surrounding water-laden pulp—the edible aril—ranging in color from white to deep red or purple. The seeds are embedded in a white, spongy, astringent pulp. [ 7 ]
pomegranates are drought-tolerant, and can be grown in dry areas with either a Mediterranean winter rainfall climate or in summer rainfall climates. In wetter areas, they are prone to root decay from fungal diseases. [ 8 ] They are tolerant of moderate frost, down to about −10°C (14°F). [ citation needed ]
Punica granatum nana is a dwarf variety of P. granatum popularly used as bonsai trees and as a patio plant. It could well be a wild form with a distinct origin. The only other species in the genus Punica is the Socotran pomegranate ( Punica protopunica ), which is endemic to the island of Socotra. It differs in having pink (not red) flowers and smaller, less sweet fruit.
| Type: Pomegranate | Style: Fresh | Part: Seed |
| Processing Type: Raw | Certification: HACCP, ISO | Place of Origin: Maharashtra India |