Pomegranate

Origin: South-west Asia

Family: Lythraceae
Subfamily: Punicoideae
Scientific Name: Punica granatum

Folk Names: Apple of Granada, Carthaginian apple, granada, grenadier, pound garnet, wine-apple

Magical

Element: Fire
Day: Saturday
Planet: Pluto
Zodiac: Scorpio
Associated Celebrations: Autumn equinox, Shadowfest Deities: Adonis, Ceres, Demeter, Hera, Persephone, Side & Orion

Parts used: Fruit

Magical Properties: abundance, prosperity, fertility, the Otherworld, luck, wishes, creativity, wealth, divination, money

Lore

Pomegranates may have been domesticated as early as the 5th millennium BC.
Remains of pomegranates have been found in tombs, shipwrecks alongside gold, perfume, and jewels, and in elite residences all through the bronze age, suggesting pomegranates were considered a luxury good.
In ancient Egypt, pomegranates were a symbol of prosperity and ambition. The Ebers Papyrus quoted its use in treating tapeworm and other infections.

Magical Uses

Make a wish when eating the first seeds.

Aromatherapy

Part Used: Seeds
Extraction Method: Expression
Flash Point: Over 130°C

Perfume Use: Base oil
Shelf Life: 12 months

Active Constituents: Punicic acid, vitamin C, flavonoids, linoleic acid, and oleic acid

Practical

Culinary

Pomegranate has a particular place in South-west Asian and Mediterranean cuisines. Pomegranate juice, molasses, and vinegar were used as the basis of many Iranian sauces before tomatoes were introduced from the Americas.

Botanical

There is one other species of pomegranate, the Socotran pomegranate (Punica protopunica), endemic to the island of Socotra, off Yemen. There are more than 500 named cultivars available. Some pomegranate trees can live up to 200 years.

Type: Shrub/tree
Plant Height: 5-10m
Branches: Spiny
Leaves: Glossy, oblong, opposite, 3-7cm long & 2cm wide.
Flowers: Bright red, 3cm across, with 3-7 petals
Fruit: Red, round, 5-12cm across, full of 200-1,400 seeds with a sweet, fleshy coating, and glossy red appearance.

Etymology: Punica comes from the Latin name for Pomegranate, malum punicum, or ‘Carthagian apple’.

Pomegranate is from the Medieval words pōmum (apple) and grānātum (seeded), and possibly also from the old French name pomme-grenade, or ‘apple of Grenada’.

In the Garden

Type: Deciduous shrub
Sow: Winter
Light: Full sun
Water: Water well when developing fruits
Soil: Moissture-retentive but free-draining

Tips:

Plant out new trees in winter when dormant