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Habitats
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Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Hedge; South Wall. By.
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Edible Uses
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Edible Parts: Fruit; Leaves; Seed.
Edible Uses: Condiment.
Fruit - raw[1, 2, 3, 4]. Juicy and refreshing with a sub-acid flavour[183], they are considered delicious by many people though others do not like the large number of seeds with relatively little fruit pulp[K]. The fruit juice can be used in soups, sauces, jellies, ice cream, cakes etc[183]. The fruit contains about 1.5% protein, 1.6% fat, 16.8% carbohydrate, 0.6% ash[149, 179]. Annual yields from wild trees in the Himalayas averaged 32kg per tree[194]. The fruit is about 12cm in diameter[200]. The fresh seed is soft and can be eaten raw[227]. When dried it is used as a seasoning in dal, fried samosa, stuffings and chutneys[183]. The boiled leaves are said to be eaten[183].
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Composition
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Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food.
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Fruit (Dry weight)
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- 362 Calories per 100g
- Water : 0%
- Protein: 5g; Fat: 2.2g; Carbohydrate: 90.5g; Fibre: 12g; Ash: 2.6g;
- Minerals - Calcium: 40mg; Phosphorus: 180mg; Iron: 3mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 4.35mg; Potassium: 1250mg; Zinc: 0mg;
- Vitamins - A: 90mg; Thiamine (B1): 0.27mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0.25mg; Niacin: 3.2mg; B6: 0mg; C: 43mg;
- Reference: [ 218]
- Notes: The figures given here are the median of a wide range quoted in the report.
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Medicinal Uses
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Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.
Antibacterial; Antidiarrhoeal; Antiviral; Astringent; Cardiac; Demulcent; Emmenagogue; Refrigerant; Stomachic; Vermifuge.
The pomegranate has a long history of herbal use dating back more than 3,000 years[238]. All parts of the plant contain unusual alkaloids, known as 'pelletierines', which paralyse tapeworms so that they are easily expelled from the body by using a laxative[238]. The plant is also rich in tannin, which makes it an effective astringent. It is used externally in the treatment of vaginal discharges, mouth sores and throat infections[238]. The whole plant, but in particular the bark, is antibacterial, antiviral and astringent[21, 46, 57, 89, 176, 194]. This remedy should be used with caution, overdoses can be toxic[21, 218]. The flowers are used in the treatment of dysentery, stomach ache and cough[218]. Along with the leaves and seeds, they have been used to remove worms[4]. The seeds are demulcent and stomachic[4, 240]. The fruit is a mild astringent and refrigerant in some fevers and especially in biliousness[4]. It is also cardiac and stomachic[240]. The dried rind of the fruit is used in the treatment of amoebic dysentery, diarrhoea etc[4, 238]. It is a specific remedy for tapeworm infestation[254]. The stem bark is emmenagogue[218]. Both the stem and the root barks are used to expel tapeworms[4]. Use this with caution, the root bark can cause serious poisoning[7].The bark is harvested in the autumn and dried for later use[238]. The dried pericarp is decocted with other herbs and used in the treatment of colic, dysentery, leucorrhoea etc[218].
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Other Uses
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Dye; Hedge; Hedge; Ink; Tannin; Wood.
A red dye is obtained from the flowers and also from the rind of unripened fruits[89, 100, 158, 168]. The dye can be red or black and it is also used as an ink[149]. It is coppery-brown in colour[168]. No mordant is required[168]. A fast yellow dye is obtained from the dried rind[194]. The dried peel of the fruit contains about 26% tannin[46, 223]. The bark can also be used as a source of tannin[146]. The root bark contains about 22% tannin, a jet-black ink can be made from it[194]. Plants are grown as hedges in Mediterranean climates[200]. Wood - very hard, compact, close grained, durable, yellow. Used for making agricultural implements. A possible substitute for box, Buxus spp[146, 149, 158, 194].
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Cultivation details
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An easily grown plant, it prefers a well-drained fertile soil[1, 182, 260] and succeeds in a hot dry position[166]. Requires a sheltered sunny position[219]. Not very hardy in Britain, the pomegranate tolerates temperatures down to about -11°c[3], but it is best grown on a south facing wall even in the south of the country because it requires higher summer temperatures than are normally experienced in this country in order to ripen its fruit and its wood[11, 166]. The wood is also liable to be cut back by winter frosts when it is grown away from the protection of a wall[11]. Trees do not grow so well in the damper western part of Britain[182]. Most plants of this species grown in Britain are of the dwarf cultivar 'Nana'. This is hardier than the type but its fruit is not such good quality[11]. This sub-species fruited on an east-facing wall at Kew in the hot summer of 1989[K]. The pomegranate is often cultivated in warm temperate zones for its edible fruit, there are many named varieties[183]. In Britain fruits are only produced after very hot summers. Plants often sucker freely[7]. Flowers are produced on the tips of the current years growth[200]. Plants in this genus are notably resistant to honey fungus[200].
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Propagation
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Seed - sow spring in a greenhouse, preferably at a temperature of 22°c[200, 238]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first 2 growing seasons. Plant out in late spring or early summer. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 4 - 5cm with a heel, June/July in a frame[78, 113]. Good percentage[78]. Cuttings of mature wood, 20 - 25cm long, November in a warm greenhouse[113]. Layering. Division of suckers in the dormant season[200]. They can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though we prefer to pot them up first and plant them out when they are growing away well in late spring or early summer.
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 You can download this page as a PDF
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Botanical References
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1151200
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Links / References
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[K] Ken Fern Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
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[1]F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956
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Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaces in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [200]).
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[2]Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World.
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Lots of entries, quite a lot of information in most entries and references.
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[3]Simmons. A. E. Growing Unusual Fruit.
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A very readable book with information on about 100 species that can be grown in Britain (some in greenhouses) and details on how to grow and use them.
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[4]Grieve. A Modern Herbal.
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Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
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[7]Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants.
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Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
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[11]Bean. W. Trees and Shrubs Hardy in Great Britain. Vol 1 - 4 and Supplement.
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A classic with a wealth of information on the plants, but poor on pictures.
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[21]Lust. J. The Herb Book.
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Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
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[46]Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants.
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An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
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[51]Polunin. O. and Stainton. A. Flowers of the Himalayas.
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A very readable and good pocket guide (if you have a very large pocket!) to many of the wild plants in the Himalayas. Gives many examples of plant uses.
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[57]Schery. R. W. Plants for Man.
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Fairly readable but not very comprehensive. Deals with plants from around the world.
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[78]Sheat. W. G. Propagation of Trees, Shrubs and Conifers.
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A bit dated but a good book on propagation techniques with specific details for a wide range of plants.
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[89]Polunin. O. and Huxley. A. Flowers of the Mediterranean.
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A very readable pocket flora that is well illustrated. Gives some information on plant uses.
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[100]Polunin. O. Flowers of Europe - A Field Guide.
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An excellent and well illustrated pocket guide for those with very large pockets. Also gives some details on plant uses.
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[113]Dirr. M. A. and Heuser. M. W. The Reference Manual of Woody Plant Propagation.
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A very detailed book on propagating trees. Not for the casual reader.
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[146]Gamble. J. S. A Manual of Indian Timbers.
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Written last century, but still a classic, giving a lot of information on the uses and habitats of Indian trees. Not for the casual reader.
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[149]Vines. R. A. Trees of Central Texas.
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Fairly readable, it gives details of habitats and some of the uses of trees growing in Texas.
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[158]Gupta. B. L. Forest Flora of Chakrata, Dehra Dun and Saharanpur.
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A good flora for the middle Himalayan forests, sparsly illustrated. Not really for the casual reader.
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[166]Taylor. J. The Milder Garden.
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A good book on plants that you didn't know could be grown outdoors in Britain.
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[168]Grae. I. Nature's Colors - Dyes from Plants.
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A very good and readable book on dyeing.
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[176]Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas.
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An excellent Chinese herbal giving information on over 500 species. Rather technical and probably best suited to the more accomplished user of herbs.
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[179]Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao.
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A translation of an ancient Chinese book on edible wild foods. Fascinating.
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[182]Thomas. G. S. Ornamental Shrubs, Climbers and Bamboos.
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Contains a wide range of plants with a brief description, mainly of their ornamental value but also usually of cultivation details and varieties.
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[183]Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants.
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Excellent. Contains a very wide range of conventional and unconventional food plants (including tropical) and where they can be obtained (mainly N. American nurseries but also research institutes and a lot of other nurseries from around the world.
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[194]Parmar. C. and Kaushal. M.K. Wild Fruits of the Sub-Himalayan Region.
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Contains lots of information on about 25 species of fruit-bearing plants of the Himalayas, not all of them suitable for cool temperate zones.
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[200]Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
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Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
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[218]Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China
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Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
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[219]Grey-Wilson. C. & Matthews. V. Gardening on Walls
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A nice little book about plants for growing against walls and a small section on plants that can grow in walls.
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[223]Rottsieper. E.H.W. Vegetable Tannins
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A fairly detailed treatise on the major sources of vegetable tannins.
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[227]Vines. R.A. Trees of North Texas
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A readable guide to the area, it contains descriptions of the plants and their habitats with quite a bit of information on plant uses.
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[238]Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses.
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A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
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[240]Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement).
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Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
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[254]Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants
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An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
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[260]Phillips. R. & Rix. M. Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2
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Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
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[301]Karalliedde. L. and Gawarammana. I. Traditional Herbal Medicines
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A guide to the safer use of herbal medicines.
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Subject : Punica granatum
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