Foodie Chickie

Pomegranate Clip Art 


I love Pomegranates. I love their vibrant color and its pretty seeds that remind me of ruby's. I love that they are tart and sweet at the same time. I remember when I was growing up my family always purchased Pomegranates, as one of our winter fruits. I can recall waiting for my dad to cut into a very large one and splitting it between my brother and I. Now I can eat a whole one by myself. Niel occasionally surprises me with one.

Pomegranates are also called Chinese apples and in Spain they are known as Granada. They are a native of Iran to the Himalayas in northern India. It has been cultivated and naturalized over the whole Mediterranean throughout India and the drier parts of southeast Asia, Malaya, the East Indies and tropical Africa. In America it is grown in the drier states such as Arizona and California.

The variety of Pomegranates are:

Balegal
Originated in San Diego, Calif. Selected by Paul H. Thomson. Large, roundish fruit, 3 inches in diameter. Somewhat larger than Fleshman. Skin pale pink, lighter then Fleshman. Flesh slightly darker than Fleshman, very sweet.

Cloud
From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. Medium-sized fruit with a green-red color. Juice sweet and white.

Crab
From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. Large fruit have red juice that is tart but with a rich flavor. A heavy bearing tree.

Early Wonderful
Large, deep-red, thin-skinned, delicious fruit. Ripens about 2 weeks ahead of Wonderful. Medium-sized bush with large, orange-red fertile flowers. Blooms late, very productive.

Fleshman
Originated in Fallbrook, Calif. Selected by Paul H. Thomson. Large, roundish fruit, about 3 inches in diameter, pink outside and in. Very sweet flavor, seeds relatively soft, quality very good.

Francis
Originated in Jamaica via Florida. Large, sweet, split-resistant fruit. Prolific producer.

Granada
Originated in Lindsay, Calif. Introduced in 1966. Bud mutation of Wonderful. Fruit resembles Wonderful, but displays a red crown while in the green state, darker red in color and less tart. Ripens one month earlier than Wonderful. Flowers also deeper red. Tree identical to Wonderful.

Green Globe
Originated in Camarillo, Calif. Selected by John Chater. Large, sweet, aromatic, green-skinned fruit. Excellent quality.

Home
From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. The fruit is variable yellow-red in color, with light pink juice that is sweet and of rich flavor. Some bitterness.

King
From the Univ. of Calif., Davis pomegranate collection. Medium to large fruit, somewhat smaller than Balegal and Fleshman. Skin darker pink to red. Flavor very sweet. Has a tendency to split. Bush somewhat of a shy bearer.

Phoenicia (Fenecia)
Originated in Camarillo, Calif. Selected by John Chater. Large fruit, 4-5 inches in diameter, mottled red-green skin. Flavor sweet, seeds relatively hard.

Sweet
Fruit is lighter in color than Wonderful, remains slightly greenish with a red blush when ripe. Pink juice, flavor much sweeter than other cultivars. Excellent in fruit punch. Trees highly ornamental, bears at an early age, productive.

Utah Sweet
Very sweet, good quality fruit. Pink skin and pulp. Seeds notably softer than those of Wonderful and other standard cultivars. Attractive pinkish-orange flowers.

Wonderful
Originated in Florida. First propagated in California in 1896. Large, deep purple-red fruit. Rind medium thick, tough. Flesh deep crimson in color, juicy and of a delicious vinous flavor. Seeds not very hard. Better for juicing than for eating out of hand. Plant is vigorous and productive. Leading commercial variety in California.

Information provided by California Rare Fruit Growers.

Here is a picture of a Pomegranate by Armenian Artist Laura Avetisyan.