Photo credit: Michael Lemmon
Punica granatum
Punica granatum, commonly called the pomegranate, is a fruit-bearing round shrub or tree that can grow up to 15 feet tall and it is currently on display at Baltimore's Rawlings Conservatory in Druid Hill Park.
It is native to Iran and the northern part of India. It prefers a semi-dry to tropical climate and is now widely cultivated through much of the Mediterranean region.
Pomegranate trees like lots of sun and a well-drained soil. They do best in USDA zones 7-10 but can be adapted to containers or heavily mulched for the winter.
The pomegranate represents marriage and fertility and is full of religious symbolism. The Greeks thought of it as the fruit of the Underworld. In Judaism it is believed to have 613 seeds representing the 613 commandments of the Torah. In Buddhism it is considered one of the most blessed fruits. Some biblical versions of the Garden of Eden portray Eve eating a pomegranate instead of an apple.
The pomegranate represents marriage and fertility and is full of religious symbolism. The Greeks thought of it as the fruit of the Underworld. In Judaism it is believed to have 613 seeds representing the 613 commandments of the Torah. In Buddhism it is considered one of the most blessed fruits. Some biblical versions of the Garden of Eden portray Eve eating a pomegranate instead of an apple.