Family: Lythraceae
Scientific name: Punica granatum
Common name: Pomegranate
Origin: Persia

The pomegranate is a juicy and delicious fruit that can be about 12 cm in size, and is brimming with polyphenols, vitamin C and potassium. The plant is in particular cultivated around the Mediterranean Sea, and grows as a shrubby tree to a maximum of 6 meters in height. In temperate climates the species can be grown as a container plant in a sunny sheltered stand, with a minimum temperature of -5 degrees Celcius. Older plants can resist temperatures up to -12 degrees Celcius, and could be planted in the open ground. With severe frost it is recommended to protect the plant with isolating materials. Because of the numerous seeds pomegranates are a symbol for fertility, and are often mentioned in old writings from Egypt and Greece. 

Sowing description: Soak the seeds for 48 hours in lukewarm water, after which they can be sown in sowing mix. Keep the soil constantly lightly moist, cover it with plastic foil or glass, and let the seeds germinate at a warm spot indoors.

Sowing time: Whole year
Difficulty: Challenging
Minimum temperature: -5 degrees Celcius

Foto 1: H. Zell (CCA-3.0 Wikipedia)
Foto 2: La-Palma-Tourismus.com