Pomegranate

Punica granatum is the Pomegranate. This is a semi deciduous tree which looses leaves if kept cool in winter. The tree is broadleaved. It has bright red flowers but some forms are white, pink or yellow and can have single or double flowers. It flowers in late spring and early summer. Fruits seldom form in cooler climates like UK. It originates from Mediterranean areas plus India and Southern China. Sub tropical species. Leaves are medium green, thin and shiny.

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Background

Pomegranates belong to the Punicaceae family which is a small genus of 2 species and Punica granatum is the only species in cultivation. Leaves are coppery when young and turn yellow in autumn. They look spectacular in late summer and early autumn when carrying its funnel shaped flowers which have crumpled petals. Fruits require long hot summers to ripen.

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Varieties

  • Albo-pleno‘- Flowers are double and creamy white and young leaves are green
  • ‘Multiplex
  • Nana‘- Charming dwarf form with narrow leaves usually used for bonsai with orange scarlet flowers in September and October
  • Rubrum Flore Pleno‘ – showy form with double orange red flowers
Punica granatum

Punica granatum

Pruning

  • Prune in winter when dormant for Pomegranates generally
  • Remove a little of old unproductive wood to encourage new growth annually and new fruiting growth opportunities
  • Tolerate pruning to restrict size but have tendancy to sucker from base
  • New growth to be shortened back to two sets of leaves whenever it lengthens beyond 3-4 sets of leaves
  • Shorter blob tipped shoots are those carrying embryonic flowers so do not prune these off
  • Pomegranates are very bushy so thin out every 2 months when in growth
  • Cut heavier branches in mid-summer
  • If you want flowers allow the branches to elongate longer than normal to flower and they usually appear on the growth tips
  • Prune back hard after flowering
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Repotting

  • Early spring but watch for bud movement and be guided by the tree
  • Avoid heavy root chopping
  • Repot every 2 years and repot based on root ball observation
  • Keep in deep pot to encourage flowering
Punica

Punica

Best styles for bonsai

  • Informal
  • Leaning
  • Semi-cascade
  • Twin trunk
  • Cluster group
  • Shohin

WindyBank PomegranateWatering

  • Ample water, increase amounts after flowering
  • Little water required during winter
  • Mist and spray during summer
  • Does not like to sit in water or be waterlogged
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Feeding

  • Feed generously and weekly up to the flowering time, but reduce during flowering
Punica

Wiring

  • Mid season for wiring but use covers over wires as prone to marking bark
  • Do not wire during flowering season
  • Wire young shoots only as older branches can be brittle and break
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Pests and diseases

  • Aphids
  • White fly
  • Red spider mite
  • Mildew
  • Chlorosis

Positioning

  • Full sun but needs winter protection
  • Do not allow to go below 3 degrees and up to 20 degrees but if too warm leggy growth
  • Requires high level of sunshine
  • Avoid frosts

Propagation

  • Propagate from taking cuttings or by seed
Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Pomegranate (Punica granatum)

Further information

  • Check out a previous post on the Pomegranate by Terry Adams who has grown one from seed.

Sources of information

Author Date Title Publisher ISBN
Adams, Peter 1991 Successful Bonsai Growing Ward Lock 0-7063-7040-6
Adams, Peter 1993 Successful Bonsai Shaping Ward Lock 0-7063-7138-0
Ainsworth, John 1988 The art of indoor bonsai, cultivating tropical, sub tropical and tender bonsai Ward Lock 0-7063-6704-9
Albex, Morten 2007 Majesty in miniature Shohin Bonsai unlocking the secrets of small trees Stone Lantern Publishing 978-0-9767550-6-7
Benz, Willi 2002 Bonsai Kusamono Suiseki A Practical Guide for Organizing Displays with Plants and Stones Willi Benz 3-00-009322-2
Bricknell, Christopher & Joyce, David 1996 The Royal Horticultural Society Pruning & Training A fully inustrated Plant-by Plant Manual Dorling Kindersley 0-7513-0207-4
Brown, George E 2004 The Pruning of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers Timber Press 0-88192-613-2
Buczacki, Stefan 1998 Best Pruning Hamlyn 0-600-59022-4
Coussin, Craig 2007 The handbook of bonsai D&S Books Ltd 1-903327-54-7
Giorgi, Gianfranco 1990 Guide to Bonsai Imon & Schuster Inc 0-671-73488-1
Hillier, John & Coombes, Allen 1972 The Hillier Manual of Trees & Shrubs David & Charles 978-0-7153-2664-0
Kobayashi, Norio 1962 Bonsai-Miniature potted trees Japan Travel Bureau
Kramer, Fay 1973 Bonsai Miniatures Quick & Easy Shufunotomo co Ltd 07-975322-5
Lesniewicz, Paul 1985 Indoor Bonsai Cassell & Co 0-7137-1700-9
Norman, Ken 2005 The complete practical encyclopedia of bonsai The essential step-by-step guide to creating, growing and displaying bonsai with over 800 photographs Hermes House 978-1-84477-899-7
Tomlinson, Harry 1990 The Complete book of bonsai A practical guide to the art of cultivation of bonsai Dorling Kindersley 0-86318-484-7
Yashiroda, Kan 1960 Japanese Miniature trees their style, cultivation & training Faber and Faber