The pomegranate has been cultivated throughout the whole Mediterranean region since ancient times after having originally been introduced by traders from the near east. It is still widely cultivated throughout India and the drier parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa.

Here in the Mediterranean it has become part of our landscape. Often seen growing wild along the roadsides or fields, most of the time unloved and unnoticed. In its deciduous state, with its nondescript growth pattern, many of us might class it as a ‘weed’, it is only when this ugly duckling produces flowers or fruit that it gets the attention it deserves. I cannot think of a more beautiful tree during the autumn when bright red Xmas tree baubles decorate this beautiful swan.

The pomegranate is a neat, rounded shrub or small tree that can grow to 5 metres, but more typically is seen to peak around 3. It is classified as deciduous, but in certain areas the leaves remain if the winter temperatures stay more stable. The trunk is covered by a red-brown bark that later becomes grey. The branches are stiff, angular and often spiny, which can cause crossovers and chafing, but pruning can be difficult, so it’s often best left alone as its never going to become an ornamental feature. It has a strong tendency to produce suckers from the base, which will need to be cut back to make sure all the energy and nourishment is kept in the main trunk and it’s feeding branches.

Pomegranates are also long-lived with some records in parts of Europe suggesting some specimens last as long as 200 years, yet at this grand old age, they may not be so prolific in their flower and fruit.

During the early spring, if they have followed their normal deciduous form, they will start to produce small, leathery, glossy leaves around 8cm long. The very new growth is often bronze in colour to start oft before turning green, so it will often give the impression of some form of variegation as it starts to create a colourful thicket. At the onset of summer, it takes on further momentum when 4-5cm flowers are formed that are a brilliant scarlet, orange or white with crinkled petals and a red calyx. The flowers may be, solitary or grouped in two’s and three’s at the ends of the branches. The pomegranate is self-pollinated as well as cross-pollinated by insects. Cross-pollination increases the fruit set, so by having several trees together, you will often produce a larger fruit yield and harvest.

Now we move into early autumn, and this is the time when you will see the fruit filling up the local farmers markets. Practically spherical fruits approx 12cm in diameter are crowned at the base by the prominent calyx. The tough, leathery skin or rind is typically yellow, overlaid with light to deep pink or rich red. But it’s the interior jewels that are the ‘piecé-de-résistance’ that make this fruit so sought after. Separated by membranous walls and white, spongy, bitter tissue, are tiny sacs filled with sweetly acid, juicy, red, pink or whitish pulp, each containing an angular, soft or hard seed. The sweetness of the fruit is determined by the height of the temperature of the season - the higher the temperature, the sweeter the fruit..

Pomegranates have been cultivated for this wondrously healthy fruit and juice since ancient times. There isn’t a health bible out there today that does not include its juice in one wonder cure or another. Many parts of the plant can be used to treat a range of digestive disorders and upset stomachs. Even the Egyptians included it as part of their extensive pharmacy, particularly as a cure for tapeworm due to the alkaloids that are present in the rind and bark.

The pomegranate may begin to bear fruit just one year after planting out, but a better harvest would be expected after its third year. They prefer a semi-arid, mild-temperate to subtropical climate and are naturally adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers. A humid climate adversely affects the formation of fruit; which is why they fit in so well in countries such as Portugal, Spain, Italy and Greece.

They should be planted in the sunniest, warmest part of the garden or orchard for the best fruit, although they will grow and flower in part shade. The attractive foliage, flowers and fruits of the pomegranate, as well as its smallish size make it a excellent landscaping plant, especially if you are planting a dry and arid garden where water is not in abundance . They tend to prefer a well-drained ordinary soil, but can also thrive on calcareous or acidic loam as well as rock-strewn gravel, making it ideal in parts of The Algarve.

Once established, pomegranates can take considerable drought, although new plants should be watered every 2 to 4 weeks during the dry season, but for good fruit production they must be irrigated in some form after flowering in order to produce better fruit. They are tolerant of moderately saline water and soil conditions, making them a good choice for coastal gardens.

Regarding feeding, I would apply a couple of handfuls of ammonium sulphate or other nitrogen fertiliser during the spring. After that, very little fertiliser is needed, although the plants respond to an annual mulch of rotted manure or other compost, which I believe, is fairly essential to all plant life.

Regarding picking the fruit, there will be many debates on when and how. Some look for a metallic sound when flicking the fruit; some will say to wait for the small split, as this tells you it is as its sweetest. Others wait for a certain hue in its bright redness that is recognisable to only those who know! If you are fortunate enough to have fruit in abundance, I would simply pick and try rather than listen to the elders. However, I would recommend picking before the heavy rains are due, as this can quite often make them crack very quickly leaving them open to attack from bugs. They store very well; so there is no need to worry about them spoiling, providing they are kept at an ambient temperature. Once picked they are very similar to apples in shelf life.

Now, eating the fruit is where many people are put off; seeing it as cumbersome and messy with little return, so patience is needed.

The fruit can be accessed by deeply scoring the rind several times vertically and then breaking it apart. The clusters of juice sacs are then lifted out and eaten or used as an attractive garnish when sprinkled on various dishes. Pomegranate fruits are most often consumed as juice and can be juiced in several ways. The sacs can be removed and put through a basket press, or the juice can be extracted by reaming the halved fruits on an ordinary orange juice squeezer. Another approach starts with warming the fruit slightly and rolling it between the hands to soften the interior. A hole is then cut in the stem end which is placed on a glass to let the juice run out, squeezing the fruit from time to time to get all the juice.