If you are looking for an ornamental plant to adorn your garden full of green, choosing a plant that blooms seasonally will be an ideal choice.
Thanks to its ability to provide shade canopies and vibrant blooms, pomegranate trees deserve to be at the top of the collection of plants that you should consider first.
But first of all, when do pomegranate trees bloom? What factors must you pay attention to for the flower season to bloom most brilliantly?
Taking care of a pomegranate tree will not be as difficult as you imagine, as our article will provide all the useful information about the natural characteristics of this fruit tree. Don’t hesitate another minute!
What Are The Pomegranate Trees?
The pomegranate tree (Punica granatum) is a shrub/small tree belonging to the Lythraceae family.
In addition to decorative effects, pomegranates are also used to produce flavoring and liqueurs and provide essential substances for health ( vitamin C, folic acid, fiber, and vitamin K).
That’s just surface information that you can recognize in any pomegranate tree. If you want to learn about this beautiful plant more comprehensively, scroll down!
Where Does A Pomegranate Grow?
The pomegranate tree is native to the area, extending from Northern India to Iran.
Over the next several millennia, it spread throughout the Mediterranean, India, and the Middle East before appearing in Arizona and the Central Valley of California.
According to calculations by scientists, pomegranates were one of the first fruit trees to be domesticated in the eastern Mediterranean region.
It may have been domesticated as early as the 5th millennium BC.
How Big Do Pomegranate Trees Get?
Depending on the species, pomegranates are small trees or attractive shrubs with an average height of about 5 to 10 meters (equivalent to 16 to 33 feet tall).
Pomegranates have an impressive lifespan: some specimens in France can live up to 200 years.
Although this plant is extremely easy to grow and care for, it is quite fragile in cold weather.
Therefore, bring a pomegranate tree home during warmer climates with enough sun exposure and provide it with a well-drained alkaline soil system (pH 5.5-7).
Pomegranate trees have an impressive ability to adapt to nutrient-poor environments (except clay soil). As they are drought tolerant, they need very little watering ( 1 inch of water per week).
How Do The Pomegranate Tree Flowers Look Like?
The male and female flowers of the pomegranate tree both have 3 to 5 petals, with the main color ranging from bright orange to red (sometimes pink).
The pomegranate flowers cluster like small bells with felt white frills.
When the flowers bloom, they fill the surrounding air with a sweet scent. During the pollination process, the male flower will take on the task of pollinating the female flowers.
When Do Pomegranate Trees Bloom?
A pomegranate bloom from September onwards, while its branches in the Southern Hemisphere bloom their first orange-red flowers in late spring (March), lasting until early summer.
In the right habitat, its delicious Pomegranate fruit can ripen red after only 5 to 7 months from the flowering season.
The harsh summer sun from March to May is the golden time for pomegranates to have their sweetest flavor.
You can pick edible fruit that is not fully ripe and then store it until fully grown to avoid pomegranate skin’s waterlogging and cracking.
In addition, hanging them in dry climates can help keep them for several months.
What Are The Factors That Enhance Blooming?
Pomegranate trees require at least 8 hours of direct sunlight per day. In a shady environment all year round, the plant can still grow normally without flowers.
Late frost can be fatal to new shoots and young pomegranates. In case of a wound, the plant tends to recover more slowly and even skips the annual flowering period.
Although the pomegranate variety is quite nitrogen-loving, too much nitrogen fertilizer will cause its flowering yield to be worse than the previous season.
In January, you can limit plants grown on lawns by applying a flowering-promoting and balanced fertilizer (e.g., 6-12-12).
Young pomegranate trees in a low-maintenance garden need about 1 pound of fertilizer each November and March, while mature plants only need ½ pound of fertilizer half a year.
Your tree will lose all its fruit if the required nutrients are exceeded.
Regular pruning helps your tree look neater, but an incorrect process can delay the blooming pomegranate tree.
Therefore, always use specialized cleaners (such as Pine-Sol or Lysol) to prevent disease transmission.
Focus on pruning the tree during its dormant period (winter) so that it can begin a new active growth cycle in the mid-spring.
How Are The Pollination and Fruit That Follows?
Pomegranate flowers can self-pollinate (on the same tree) or co-pollinate with their counterparts in neighboring areas.
Cross-pollination, carried out mainly by flying insect pollinators, often produces a more vibrant harvest than self-pollination/wind pollination.
Normally, female flowers only receive pollination for about 2 to 3 days before officially transitioning to fruit production.
After the flower fades, its “window” will close. Unfertilized female flowers and male flowers will automatically wither and fall to the ground.
The fertilized flowers develop a red bulbous base, while the calyx forms the umbilical cord in pomegranates’ distinctive “crown” shape.
The pomegranate will officially ripen about 5 to 7 months after being pollinated.
Thanks to the long pomegranate tree blossom and harvest cycle, it is not difficult to come across orange flowers and fruits appearing close together.
It not only provides fresh pomegranate fruits but also decorates your beautiful autumn garden.
FAQs
When Do Pomegranate Trees Produce Fruit?
Due to species diversity, the fruiting time of pomegranates is not completely fixed. Normally, they will begin a steady reproductive cycle when the tree reaches at least 2 years of age.
They begin to bear fruit around March and April and are ready for harvest from August to October.
How Fast Do Pomegranate Trees Grow?
Pomegranate trees can adapt to new living environments and have an extremely stable growth rate.
After about 2-3 years of getting used to your garden, it will begin to produce extremely high-quality fruit crops.
When ready for harvest, pomegranates tend to turn from round to hexagonal due to pressure from the inner arcs. The outer shell texture is smoother, while the colors become more vibrant than ever ( pink, red, or dark yellow).
The ripe pomegranate fruits also create a heavy feeling when touched. Their stems also gradually lose their dark green color and turn pale.
Why Does My Pomegranate Fail to Bloom?
Pomegranate cultivars under 3 years old often do not bloom or will have poor-quality fruit seasons. Therefore, don’t be impatient if your exotic pomegranate has not reached the specified age.
When the pomegranate plants are ready, you can boost pollination by boosting the numbers of birds and insects.
Design hummingbird feeding troughs so they can’t take their eyes off the dark red pomegranate tree flowers.
Some Last Words
With impressive outdoor adaptability and drought tolerance, pomegranate bushes require little care while still adorning your garden year-round.
After the annual winter break, pomegranate shrubs will reproduce again and enter the flowering season that lasts until the end of the year and is also the most beautiful time.
So, when do pomegranate trees bloom? And what factors affect the pollination process that you need to pay attention to .
Through this article, we are sure you are now ready to welcome the arrival of this beautiful tree in your garden. Good luck!
