Punica granatum Pomegranate Tree Exotic Fruit Plant Orange Flowers 9cm Pot T&M

Punica granatum (Pomegranate) – 1 x 9cm Potted Plant

Pomegranate is an underrated shrub, rarely seen in gardens but surprisingly ornamental. Over a long summer season it bears intriguing bright orange flowers with crepe-like petals that unfurl like little parcels from stiff, funnel-shaped buds. Their bright vermilion colour stands out beautifully against the small, glossy foliage, and in hot seasons the flowers may be followed by round pomegranate fruits. It forms a rounded, multi-stemmed shrub or small tree; deciduous in the UK, its new leaves emerge bronze in spring. In particularly cold areas it can be grown in a large container and moved somewhere warmer for winter.

• Unusual but highly ornamental large shrub or small tree
• Unusual crepe-like, vermilion-orange flowers
• Long flowering season; may fruit in hot summers
• Bronze new leaves in spring; ideal for patios and exotic gardens
• Half-hardy – protect from frost; height and spread 1.5–2.5m (5–8ft)

How to grow

Grow in rich, fertile, well-drained soil in a warm, sheltered spot in full sun for the best chance of fruit. Dig in plenty of well-rotted manure or compost and plant at the same level as in the pot. Keep weeds clear within 30cm of the base, mulch in spring, and water well in dry spells. Prune from spring to summer, selecting 3–4 low branches as the main framework and removing crowded or damaged growth; for the first three years shorten main branches by a third of the previous season's growth, then prune minimally. Remove suckers from the base. Harvest fruit with secateurs when the crown at the base of the fruit has curled and turned brown.

Plant height and spread are seasonal, so plants are listed by pot size. The size of the plant delivered will vary with the season and images are an indication only.