# pomegranate (*Punica granatum*) The pomegranate is a round, red fruit filled with juicy seeds. It's not only tasty but also very healthy! People have enjoyed pomegranates for thousands of years. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Mediterranean regions - **Also known as:** Chinese apple, Punica ![pomegranate](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Punica_granatum_004.JPG&width=800) Photo: H. Zell, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Punica_granatum_004.JPG) ## Appearance The pomegranate is a shrub or small tree with glossy, leathery leaves. It has distinctive bright orange-red, trumpet-shaped flowers. Its unique fruit is round with a tough, leathery crimson rind and a persistent calyx resembling a crown. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Myrtales - **Family:** Lythraceae - **Genus:** Punica ## Interesting facts - Each pomegranate fruit can hold hundreds of sparkling, ruby-red seeds called arils! - In ancient Egypt, pomegranates were buried with mummies for the afterlife! - Pomegranate fruits naturally wear a little crown at their top! - This ancient juicy fruit has been enjoyed by humans for over 4,000 years! ## Special abilities - **Drought Defender:** Pomegranate can thrive in dry places, thanks to its deep roots and tough leaves that help it save water. - **Seed Safeguard:** Its fruit has a thick, leathery skin protecting hundreds of juicy seeds from drying out and hungry creatures. - **Fruitful Bounty:** Pomegranate produces many flowers and fruits, increasing its chances to spread seeds widely and reproduce. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 200-500 cm - **Spread:** 200-400 cm - **Flower Size:** 2-4 cm - **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Perennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen from flowers - **Eaten by:** [Common Blackbird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-blackbird) (*Turdus merula*) — eats fallen fruit and dispersed seeds - **Eaten by:** [Black Rat](https://www.snappit.app/explore/black-rat) (*Rattus rattus*) — chews open fruits for the sweet seeds - **Eaten by:** [Human](https://www.snappit.app/explore/human) (*Homo sapiens*) — cultivates and consumes the delicious fruit ## Traits - [Deciduous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deciduous): Deciduous plants periodically shed all their leaves, typically during autumn or dry seasons. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Fruit Bearing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-bearing): Fruit-bearing plants produce fruits, which are the mature ovaries of flowering plants containing seeds. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Fruit Tree](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/fruit-tree): A fruit tree is a perennial tree that produces fruit, which is edible to humans or animals. - [Agricultural](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/agricultural): This human use trait describes species cultivated or domesticated by humans for agricultural purposes, including crops and livestock. - [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always wash fruits before eating them to keep them clean and safe. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify pomegranate? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is pomegranate? 200-500 cm ### How wide does pomegranate spread? 200-400 cm ### How big are the flowers on pomegranate? 2-4 cm ### When does pomegranate bloom? Late spring to early summer ### Is pomegranate edible? Yes ### Is pomegranate toxic? None ### What is pomegranate's lifecycle? Perennial ## Where to spot - [Central Shelby Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/central-shelby-historic-district) — North Carolina, US · Historic District - [Colonel Allensworth State Historic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/colonel-allensworth-state-historic-park) — California, US · State Park - [Hofgarten Ansbach](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hofgarten-ansbach) — Bayern, DE · Park - [Botanischer Garten Karlsruhe](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/botanischer-garten-karlsruhe) — Baden-Württemberg, DE · Park - [Schloss & Park Pillnitz (Dresden)](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/schloss-park-pillnitz-dresden) — Sachsen, DE · Park - [Barcelona Botanical Garden](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barcelona-botanical-garden) — Cataluña, ES · Park [View all places to see pomegranate](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/pomegranate) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Pomegranate: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pomegranate)