Spanish missionaries first introduced pomegranates in 1769 to the region now known as

California, before it was incorporated into the United States. Commercial pomegranate
production in California began in 1896 with an initial shipment of cuttings from Florida (LaRue
1980).
The majority of California commercial production occurs in the San Joaquin Valley. Over the
past ten years, pomegranate production has increased by more than five times. In 2012, 242,345
tons of pomegranate were produced with a total market value of almost $122,816,100 (CA Ag.
Commissioners' Rpt 2013). However, pomegranate acreage declined in 2012-2013 due to low
market prices. Despite a brief decline in acreage in 2012-2103, production and market value are
expected to continue increasing with the growing popularity of pomegranate as a highly
nutritional fruit (Hummer et al. 2012).
Cultivars
Pomegranates (Punica granatum L.) are one of two species in the Punicaceae family cultivated
commercially. The most common cultivars grown in California are Wonderful (main season
crop), Granada and Foothill (early season crop). These cultivars have been selected based on
consumer preference for high sugar to high acid ratios, and dark red rinds and arils (Day and
Wilkins 2011). Although the three common commercial cultivars are very similar, there is a wide
range of rind color (light pink to dark red, yellow, orange, green and black), seed hardness (hard
to very soft), aril color (dark red to light pink, yellow to almost clear), seed quantity (up to 1300
seeds per fruit, Stover and Mercure 2007) and sugar/acid balance (very tart to balanced sub-acid)
available among pomegranate cultivars. Variation among selected fruit bearing and ornamental
cultivars is described in the Pomegranate Cultivar Yable within our website (LINK ).
Pomegranate cultivars are either fruit-bearing or ornamental. Ornamental cultivars produce large,
showy male or intermediate flowers, ranging in color from red, orange, pink, white and
combinations of red and white. They produce mostly inedible fruit. Fruit bearing cultivars tend
to be less showy and produce male and hermaphroditic flowers which produce edible fruit of
varying size (zgven et al. 2012). Both types of trees can either be self-pollinated or crosspollinated by insects or hummingbirds (Tous and Ferguson 1996). The timing of pollination is
important because the stigma is only receptive for 2 to 3 days before quickly declining (Stover
and Mercure 2007). The amount of pollination determines how many seeds form within the fruit,
and ultimately, fruit size (Hartmann et al. 1997).
Post flowering, pomegranates require 6 to 7 months to ripen (Stover and Mercure 2007). Fruit is
typically ready to harvest between August and November in California. The pomegranate rind
can begin to crack open as it ripens, reducing postharvest quality and lifespan. To combat
cracking growers have tried harvesting fruit early. However, because pomegranates do not
continue their ripening process off the tree, it is best to keep the fruit on the tree longer to obtain
an optimal flavor (Tous and Ferguson 1996).
Growing Conditions

Pomegranates are subtropical fruits, but can acclimate to Mediterranean and humid tropical
climates (Stover and Mercure 2007). It has been recorded that pomegranates can withstand
freezes from -9C to -12C (Westwood 1993). However, they need a long, hot growing season to
properly mature, which is what makes the San Joaquin Valley ideal for pomegranate production.
Pomegranate grows best in deep loam soils, although it can tolerate a wide range of soil types,
including moderately saline soils (Stover and Mercure 2007). Fruit quality declines when trees
are grown in highly alkaline soils and soils with poor drainage. Pomegranate trees can survive
drought conditions, but fruit quality and quantity decline without sufficient irrigation (LaRue
1980). Adequate soil moisture is necessary during tree establishment (Stover and Mercure 2007),
and should be maintained at the same rate, especially close to harvest, to minimize fruit splitting
(LaRue 1980). During maturation, both irregular irrigation and extreme rain can lead to fruit
splitting (Hepaksoy 2000).
Page Last Updated: September 1, 2014

Characteristics of some of the popular pomegranate cultivars (varieties) grown in

California
Seed
Type & Potent
Aril
Aril
*PHOT ial
Colo
Flavor
Size
O
Mark
r
GALLE et
RY

Cultivar

Origin

Sweet
to
Fruit Rind
Sweet- Size Color
tart

Sin Pepe

Chico,
CA

Light Extreme
Sweet
Medi Speckled Medi Pink ly soft
Sweet
Fresh mild
um Pink
um to
GALLE
fruit
Rose RY

Medovyi
Vahsha

Extreme
ly Soft
Sweet
Turkmeni
Medi
Medi Dark
Sweet
Pink/Red
GALLE Fresh mild
stan
um
um Red
RY
fruit
LINK

Myatadzhy Turkmeni Sweet Medi Red

stan
um

Medi Dark Extreme Fresh Sweet

um Red ly Soft
mild
GALLE
fruit
RY

Notes

Best if
left on
tree until
October.
Name
means
honey;
good
combinat
ion:
sweet,
soft
seeded &
pink/red
Good
combinat
ion:
sweet,
soft

Sirenevyi

Medi Tan,
Turkmeni
Sweet um to blushed
stan
Large in Pink

Medi
um

Parfianka

Medi
Turkmeni Sweetum to Red
stan
tart
Large

Medi
um
large

Medi
Turkmeni Sweetum to
stan
tart
Large
Myagkosem
Medi
Turkmeni Sweetyannyi
um to
stan
tart
Rosovyi
Large
Gissarskii

Ariana

Pink &
Yellow
Pink &
Yellow

Medi
um
large
Medi
um
large

Medi
Turkmeni Sweetum to Red
stan
tart
Large

Medi
Turkmeni SweetMolla Nepes
um to Red
stan
tart
Large

Wonderful

Purple
Heart

Medi
Sweetum to Red
tart
Large

Sweet Medi Red

to
um to
Sweet- Large
tart

Medi
um

Medi
um
large

seeded &
red
Late
variety:
best in
Soft
Dark
Comple flavor/co
GALLE Fresh
Red
x
lor in
RY
early
Novemb
er
Very
Soft
Fresh
Named
Dark
Balance
GALLE or
for
Red
d
RY
Juice
Parfijia
LINK
Soft
GALLE
RY
Soft
GALLE
Citrus
RY
Very
Dark Soft
Balance
Red GALLE
d
RY
Very
Dark Soft
Red GALLE
RY
Astringe
nt,
Medium
Californ
Fresh
Dark Soft
Wine- ia
or
Red GALLE
like
industry
Juice
RY
standar
d
variety
Dark Medium Fresh Fruit
Minimal
Red Soft to or
splitting
Medium Juice
&
GALLE
excellent
RY
holding
ability
off the

tree
Ink

Chico,
CA

Medi
SweetMedi
um to Dark Red
tart
um
Large

Kara Bala
Miursal

Medi
Azerbaija Sweetum to
n
tart
Large

Nikitski
Ranni

Turkmeni SweetLarge
stan
tart

Sakerdze

Sweet- Medi
Georgia tart to um to
Tart
Large

Al Sirin Nar

Turkmeni SweetLarge
stan
tart

Kara Gul

Medi
Turkmeni Sweetum to
stan
tart
Large

Daru

Himalaya
Tart
s

Haku Botan Japan

Small

Extrem Medi

Medium
GALLE
RY

Seeds
'pop'
when
you
Medi
Fresh
chew
Speckled
um Red Medium or
Jam-like them;
Pink/Red
large
Juice
hard
seed so
probably
better for
juice
Medi
Hard
Very
um
Red
Red GALLE Juice Fruit
producti
to Lar
RY
ve
ge
Medi
Hard
Dark
Dark Red um to
GALLE Juice Fruit
Red
Large
RY
Very
Very
producti
Dark Hard
Citrus/Fl
Dark Red Large
Juice
ve from
Red GALLE
oral
a young
RY
age
Darkest
variety
in USDA
Medium
collectio
Dark hard
Dark Red
n; name
Red GALLE
means
RY
dark
red/black
flower
Dark
Red
Used for
Yellow/G
to
making
reen w/
Small Pinki
the spice
Red
sh
'Anardan
overlay
Whit
a'
e
Yellow Medi Clear Hard
Juice Lemon- Tastes

ely
Tart

um to
Large

um

to
GALLE
Yello
RY
w

like

better
after
stored
under
refrigerat
ion;
primarily
grown
for
ornament
al double
white
flower

*Follow GALLERY to a photo gallery within the 'Flower, Fruit & Cultivar Galleries' for a series
of ph