Post on 09-May-2018
The Pomegranate in ArizonaPropagation, Cultivation, Pests, Challenges
Surinam cherry
Date palm
Mango and papaya
Passion fruit
microclimate
Arizona Rare Fruit
Growers
2008 Pomegranate Trial Planting
AZRFG initiated planting of 20 varieties of pomegranates for public observation.
Pomegranate Shucking8 hours of shucking, truckload of fruit, 40 varieties from California,
Texas, and Arizona.
Sin Pepe Eversweet
Purple Heart Wonderful
2011 Arizona Pomegranate Taste Trial
Planting a pomegranate
Training your Young Tree
Espalier methods are also successful, and
allow one to cover the trees for insect, solar,
and bird protection
Bush method provides more shade, which
reduces sun burn on the fruit
Irrigation
Water your pomegranate tree every two weeks to a depth of 18”.
In summer, you can water once a week, alternating between deep watering and
shallower watering.
Never wet the fruit, as this may introduce heart rot and damage the fruit interior.
In Fall, water lightly the third week of the month, from Mid October until fruit harvest.
Water heavily after fruit harvest.
Do not irrigate during winter, as winter rains usually suffice and trees are dormant.
Fertilization
Manures and compost are an acceptable way to fertilize your pomegranates.
On an biannual basis, provide 2- 15 gallon pots of composted manure to tree.
Place under a heavy litter of straw, grass, leaves, or tree trimmings mulch.
Provide amendments in Early February and in June or July.
Ammonium Sulphate is an acceptable source of nitrogen as well.
Propagation
YOUNG ROOTED POMEGRANATES
ROOTS IN 2-3 MONTHS
FULLY DEVELOPED PLANT
FROM CUTTING 6 MONTHS
Citrus thrip damage
Leaves curl in in on themselves
Stunts new growth.
Temporary problem on new growth in early spring only. Affects
young plants more than older ones.
Solution: spray with a dishwater solution containing soap and
greasy water early in the morning or late evening.
Leaf Footer Bug
species Leptoglossus zonatus . A true bug
Adults bore into fruit, injecting enzymes which
cause internal rotting and/or brown seeds.
Adult insectsOften seen in clusters
If you shake the tree they fly off like bees
Hard shell protects them from most organic
Insecticides.
NymphsOften seen in bunches.
Can be controlled with soapy water, or kaolin clay.
Leaf Footer Bug DamageFruit develops soft spots and falls from the tree in October
or November.
seeds.
To protect fruit, bag for a few seasons. This will reduce the insect population.
Trees with bagged fruitNotice Kaolin clay on trees. This study is to provide some
observations on sunburn and leaf footer bug damage.
Bagging a Pomegranate
Step One: spray with kaolin
Bagging a Pomegranate
Step Two: Prep limb to penduncle
Bagging a Pomegranate
Step Three: paper bag and twine
Bagging a Pomegranate
Step Four: slip bag over fruit and
tie
Bagging a Pomegranate
Step Five: tie branches together
to prevent fruit from swinging
Variety: Purple Heart
Red skin. Does not need as much temperature
swing to develop as much red color as other
varieties. Dark Red arils with soft seeds. Sweet
Tart Variety.
Ornamental Variety: Whitton
Large carnation like flowers, brilliant red with white
striping. Shy bearer of green, hard seeded white
aril seeds.
Variety: Gissarski Rozovyi
Pink skin. Ripens Early. Pink arils with very soft
seeds. Large size fruit. Tree medium sized. An
excellent variety for the Phoenix Area.
Variety: Desertnyi
Pink/redskin. Ripens December. Dark arils with
very soft seeds.Medium/ Large size fruit. Tree
medium sized. Excellent tart sweet flavor.
Variety: 15/4 Paymati Rozanova
redskin. Ripens December. Dark arils with soft
seeds. Large size fruit. Tree medium sized. Flavor
more sweet than tart. Dwarfish sized tree.
Variety: Wonderful
Most Common Variety found in Nurseries. 99% of
pomegranates sold in USA are of this type.
Hybrid. redskin. Ripens December. Dark arils with
Medium seeds. Large size fruit. Large Tree
Variety: Wonderful
Most Common Variety found in Nurseries. 99% of
pomegranates sold in USA are of this type.
Variety: Sweet
The first pomegranate to ripen in Late August!
Old Variety: small fruit. Green skin with red russet.
Arils white, with relatively soft seeds.
Other varieties of pomegranates available in Arizona
Heirloom Arizona Varieties
Herbert ( Seedling variety found Longview Neighborhood of Mid-Town Phoenix) Red Fruit, flat shoulders with square shape. Arils
color extremely well. Red skin. Reliable. Smaller than Wonderful
Josefina Tucson Heirloom Variety with 80 year history in the Old Barrio. White, Early ripening fruit
Sosa Carillo Tucson Heirloom Variety growing near the Tucson Museum of Art. 100 year+ old tree with red fruit.
Ruby: Old variety growing in wash near an abandoned mining camp.
Papago: Variety growing at a natural spring in Saguaro National Monument. Believed to have been in existence for over 150 years,
and a descendent of pomegranate brought into Sonora by Padre Kino and the Franciscans
Standard varieties:
Wonderful: Sweet: Nana (dwarf) Angel Red
Utah Sweet: Granada Red Silk Kashmir blend
Pink Satin (AKA Sin Pepe) Ambrosia ( Fruit splitting trait) Garnet Sash
Varieties more difficult to find
Saveh Eversweet Golden Globe Parfianka
Black pomegranate Sakerdze Ink Mae
Palermo Toyosho Crab White Flower
Cloud White Canna Phils Sweet
Rosa Mia Fleschmans Egyptian White Balegal
Phoenicia Kara Bala Muirsal Giant Russian Kaim Anor
Gissarski Rozovyi ( One of the Best Varieties for taste. Pinkish skin and light pink soft arils. Excellent taste)
Paymati RosaNova agat Vina King
Nikitsi Ranni Kazake Cranberry 32/30