Pomegranate tree: description, photo, cultivation features. indoor pomegranate

general information

Pomegranate (Punica) is a genus of evergreen trees or deciduous shrubs of the Pomegranate family growing in subtropical countries. The height of pomegranate trees is 5-10 meters, the yield is 50-60 kg. The fruits of the pomegranate tree are considered healing - as the fruits of the pomegranate contain a lot of sugars, a large amount of citric acid, vitamin C, tannin. Especially popular among lovers of exotic plants is the dwarf form of the common pomegranate (Punica granatum nana). In room culture, pomegranate varieties "Baby" and "Uzbekistan" are also common. In height, the pomegranate tree reaches 30 - 60 cm, it is very decorative (especially during the flowering period), and pomegranate trees are also distinguished by early fruiting. Dwarf pomegranate tree is unpretentious, does not require special care, besides, pomegranate is an amazing houseplant for those who wish to try their hand at the art of bonsai. With some skill, pomegranate can be shaped into almost any style of bonsai. By repeatedly cutting and pinching, bending the young shoots of the pomegranate tree with a wire, bending the older ones to the ground, the grenade is given the desired shape. The result will not keep you waiting. A beautifully formed pomegranate tree is a real decoration of an apartment, a winter garden.

Landing (transfer)

The pomegranate tree is best grown in a shallow but wide dish. Young pomegranate plants are transferred to larger containers annually, older ones - after 2-3 years, and tubers - 1 time in 4-5 years. It has been established that the pomegranate tree grows well in a pot-and-tub culture, blooms profusely and bears fruit only on light fertile soils. soil mixtures and with sufficient moisture content. Before flowering, young pomegranate trees are grown on an earthen mixture of soddy, humus, leafy soil and sand (1: 0.5: 1: 1). From the age of 3, 4 years, a richer earthen mixture is prepared for pomegranate plants with a different ratio of the same constituent components - 2: 1: 1: 1. In tub plants, the top 2-3 cm layer of soil is renewed annually, replacing it with a mixture of humus and bird droppings (3: 1). You can purchase soil for pomegranate tree transplantation on our website by clicking on the link "Soil for indoor pomegranate". Pomegranate tree plants form in the form of a bush with 4, 5 main branches or a small pomegranate tree on a low (15-20 cm) trunk. Before the pomegranate buds begin to bloom, they are cut off - mostly thinned out. Cut out all the weak, drowning and growing inside the crown shoots and twigs of the pomegranate tree. To enhance branching, last year's strong growths are shortened by 1/4-1/3, thereby creating conditions for the growth of side shoots with flowers. Completely remove skeletal branches older than 5 years of age, replacing them with an appropriate number of strong basal shoots. In the summer, the root shoots, fatty shoots growing inside the crown of the pomegranate tree are systematically removed. The mass appearance of barren bell-shaped flowers makes the pomegranate plant very elegant, decorative, but contributes to its depletion to the detriment of the fruit harvest. Therefore, such flowers are recommended to be removed.

reproduction

The pomegranate tree is propagated by seeds, lignified and green cuttings, layering, root offspring and grafting. Pomegranate seeds are sown in autumn or spring. Any special landing preparation they don't require. Shoots of a pomegranate tree appear in 2-3 weeks. When 1-2 true leaves appear in pomegranate seedlings, they dive into pots 5-9 cm in diameter, filled with a mixture of soddy soil and sand (1: 1). During the growth period, pomegranate plants are watered abundantly. Indoors, the pomegranate tree is placed on the windowsill of a sunny window. The pomegranate tree reproduces well by lignified cuttings in January-February. Pomegranate cuttings 10-15 cm long are cut from matured shoots of fruit-bearing plants and planted in a reconnaissance box or indoor greenhouse. Substrate - coarse washed river sand or peat-sand mixture (1:1). Planted pomegranate cuttings leave 1-3 buds on the surface. Rooted pomegranate cuttings are transplanted into 7-9 cm pots filled with a mixture of turf, humus, leaf soil and sand (1: 0.5: 1: 1).

Lighting

The pomegranate tree is photophilous, any window suits it, except for the north one. From spring to autumn, the pomegranate tree can be exhibited on Fresh air.

Air temperature

No summer heat is terrible for a pomegranate, but in winter the pomegranate tree loves coolness. Optimum temperature pomegranate content in winter +10°...12°С. But if it is impossible to arrange such a temperature for a grenade, then you can artificially help him go “to rest”, drying it a little earthen clod and removing the remaining pomegranate leaves, and after that place on a cool window. Watering during the dormant period of the pomegranate tree is minimal. It is not necessary for a small pomegranate plant to arrange wintering. Wintering at a higher temperature without illumination, the pomegranate tree is strongly stretched, losing its decorative effect.

Watering

Water the pomegranate tree as the earth dries out, soaking the lump abundantly. When the dwarf pomegranate is in bloom, cut back on watering, but don't let the soil dry out. Watering during the winter storage of pomegranate is reduced to 1 time per week.

Leaf shower

On hot summer days, pomegranate leaves need to be sprayed daily.

Fertilizer

During the growing season, the pomegranate tree needs to be fed every 10 days; from August, feeding is stopped. For top dressing, organic fertilizer "Pomegranate" is used, it is presented on our website by clicking on the link "Fertilizer for pomegranate tree".

Pests

Often, a dwarf pomegranate tree becomes a victim of a spider mite or scale insect. The first sign of damage to the spider mite is a white web on the plant. If you find such a nuisance, then urgently increase the level of humidity. You can generously spray the pomegranate plant from a spray bottle, and then wrap it in transparent polyethylene and leave it like that for several days. The shield is visible to the naked eye, so just assemble it with your hands, and treat the pomegranate leaves with a strong solution of soap and alcohol. After that, place the pomegranate tree in a place with a cooler temperature and higher humidity.

Dwarf pomegranate - a bush with a large number of oblong leaves and large red flowers. Leaf color - pale green.

The cups are like a bouquet in which wavy scarlet or pinkish petals are tightly collected.

There are plant species with yellow or white petals, but still the most common is dwarf pomegranate with red flowers. It belongs to the family Derbennikov.

The dormant period of the bush is short and occurs only after the complete fall of the foliage. Some of the flowers still appear until the end of autumn, when the fruits ripen.

REFERENCE! The fruits look pretty large berries about seven centimeters in diameter dark red or orange shades. Each fruit contains more than a thousand seeds located in separate two-tiered chambers.

An edible cover surrounds each of the seeds. Berries different tastes like a regular pomegranate. Most often this plant is used in decorative purposes, and in order for the fruits not to deplete the bush, they are often removed.

On our website, we have also prepared an article on growing and caring for, which, among the many pomegranates, attracts flower growers with its unpretentiousness, beauty and unique properties.

You can visually familiarize yourself with the Carthage dwarf pomegranate in the photo below:

Home Care

Consider how to care for a decorative pomegranate.

Post-Purchase Care

Dwarf pomegranate Carthage in room conditions prefers very bright lighting and calmly withstands the absence of shading. If there is not enough light, it does not bloom. In the summer it is good to take it out into the open. Well transfers a plant and placement in a winter garden.

pruning

Dwarf pomegranate calmly withstands pruning, and you can give it the desired shape by pinching and cutting off excess shoots. When pruning, do not forget to leave six main branches, which are the basis of the bush.
You can learn more useful about pruning a dwarf pomegranate in the video below:

Watering

In the heat and in a room with dry air, the bush requires spraying with slightly cooler water.

If the pomegranate is placed in a cool place, this procedure is not necessary.

During the flowering period, watering should be reduced, but it is necessary to monitor the leaves, since with a lack of moisture, the bush will begin to drop foliage.

After the pomegranate has faded, it should be watered more abundantly so that a large number of flowers appear next year.

REFERENCE! During the dormant period, dwarf pomegranate should be watered as little as possible - once in two months. At the end of this period, watering is gradually increased. The top layer of soil should dry to a depth of about two centimeters.

If you want to grow fruits, autumn watering should be very careful, because with an excess of moisture, they will begin crack.

Planting and soil

Despite the fact that the pomegranate tree in nature grows on impoverished dry soils, home plant prefers more nutritious soil with drainage.

For planting a dwarf pomegranate, you can make the following mixtures:

• in part of the earth, humus and sand, a double part of clay-soddy soil;
• sand, turf, humus and leafy earth in equal volume. This mixture is well suited for young bushes;
• two parts of sand, peat and loam in one part;
• four parts of turf, two parts of leaf humus, part of sand and the same amount of peat.

Transfer

Transplanted young pomegranate bush yearly. After three years, transplantation is performed much less often: every three years by spring.

The pot is filled a third drainage system and transplant the plant by transshipment. The capacity is chosen most of all by a couple of centimeters in diameter, since the pomegranate bush dislikes too wide pots.

In a close pot, flowering is much more intense than in a free one. For a plant at the age of five years, a three-liter pot with drainage hole.

Growing dwarf pomegranate from seeds

To grow a pomegranate bush using seeds, it is better to buy them in specialized stores, in this case, the plant can bloom in the same year, and bear fruit in the second year.

IMPORTANT! Fruit seeds can be used houseplant. The most ripe seeds are selected, they are washed and allowed to dry. Should be sown in April to a depth of five millimeters.

The soil prepared from the same proportions of sand and peat is regularly moistened. The air temperature for seed germination should be in the area 27 degrees. When a pair of leaves appears, the seedlings should be planted in small containers and ensure regular watering and warm air temperature. You can pinch several times.

reproduction

You can propagate dwarf pomegranate cuttings. They are taken from adult plants that produce fruits. The cutting must have 4-5 kidneys. The lower part is planted at a slight angle into a mixture of equal parts of sand and peat to a depth of about three centimeters.

Shanks should be covered glass jar. The soil needs to be moistened, ventilated. Before planting, you can treat the cuttings with a special rooting solution. They are planted after three months. The buds of young bushes are best cut off.

Temperature

Since the dwarf pomegranate is thermophilic, it prefers temperature above 20 degrees.

If the temperature in the room reaches 25 degrees and above, the plant can be taken out to the balcony. In a dry and hot microclimate, the bush will begin to lose foliage, which will affect the development of the plant itself.

When fruiting in autumn, the pomegranate provides a lower temperature 12-17 degrees. From the end of autumn until March, it is better to keep the bush at 10 degrees Celsius. The lowest temperature that a pomegranate bush can endure is 6 degrees.

Lighting

Dwarf pomegranate can be placed on any windows, except northern. In summer, the plant is taken out into the garden or onto the balcony, accustoming it to the open air gradually. In early autumn, the bush should be moved back to the room.

Benefit

All parts of the pomegranate plant have medicinal properties. The fruits contain a large number of organic bushes, as well as carbohydrates, proteins, fats. The fruits also contain phytoncides, tannin, folacin, and various trace elements. Fruit juice has antiseptic, diuretic, astringent properties.

Pomegranate flowers can be brewed as a tea. Such a drink resembles the well-known hibiscus tea.

Diseases and pests

The main pests of the dwarf pomegranate are scale insects and whiteflies. If there are few pests, they can be collected manually. In case of mass damage, special preparations should be used.

With increased dryness of the air, the pomegranate bush may suffer from spider mite. To prevent its occurrence, you need to spray the plant.

If the tick still appears, the plant is treated with a medicinal solution, after covering the soil with a plastic bag.

Sometimes the plant may appear powdery mildew. When overflowing, the pomegranate leaves turn yellow. When roots rot better bush it is better to transplant into dry soil, after getting rid of rotten roots. In this case, it is good to cut off the crown.

Dwarf pomegranate - beautiful flowering shrub, which gives numerous juicy fruits with a pleasant taste. It blooms for a long time, covering the whole plant with red flowers. The plant requires special care, including compliance with temperature conditions, irrigation regime and sufficient illumination. Dwarf pomegranate decorates any room, and also looks great in gardens, on verandas and balconies.

Pomegranate (Punica), also called Pomegranate, is a plant of the Derbennikov family (Lythraceae). The generic name punica in Latin indicates the area of ​​​​original growth in the Greek territories of Carthage (modern Tunisia). The Russian name comes from another word granatus, which in Latin means "grainy".

Pomegranate grows in natural conditions in the form of abundantly branching woody plant. Its thin short uneven angular shoots are covered with light brown and slightly grayish bark. Small leaflets, having an opposite arrangement, are collected in several pieces in whorls. The leaves are slightly wavy and have smooth edges. The shape can vary from elliptical to lanceolate. The top of the sheet is glossy and the bottom is matte.

During the flowering period of the pomegranate, funnel-shaped scarlet flowers appear on short pedicels. Most often they are solitary, but can be collected in small inflorescences. Fruits can appear only on those flowers, the shape of which resembles a jug. Bell-shaped flowers are sterile. Pomegranate bloom in the natural environment continues all year round, the plant can have flowers and ripe fruits at the same time.

Types, varieties of pomegranate and their photos

The Derbennikov family includes only two types of deciduous trees and small shrubs.

The most suitable for growing at home is the common pomegranate.(Punica granatum). Under natural conditions, the pomegranate tree grows in southern Europe and western Asia. It is a small tree up to 5-10 m tall, with green foliage and scarlet flowers. Fruits of spherical shape reach from 8 to 18 cm in diameter.

Breeders have bred a wide variety of garden forms and varieties that differ in the taste of fruits and the degree of their abundance.

Photo. indoor pomegranate

Widespread in indoor floriculture has received another form of Pomegranate ordinary, representing natural look, is the dwarf pomegranate (Punica nana). It is small in size, no more than a meter, subject to regular pruning, it can be up to 30 cm high. It has small leaves and can bear fruit. The fruits of indoor pomegranate do not exceed three centimeters in diameter. Seeds of it potted plant sold in the store under the general name "Dwarf Pomegranate" or Punica granatum "NANA".

Important: For indoor cultivation suitable seeds of dwarf pomegranate of two varieties: "Carthage", "Baby".

Less common among flower growers are some varieties of the original species, suitable for growing at home, but larger than the dwarf species:

• « Flore Pleno"- the plant comes from Persia, has an exclusively decorative function, does not bear fruit. The size of the shrub reaches a height of 3-4 m. Terry bright red flowers resemble carnations in shape;
• « Flore Pleno Alba"- similar to the previous species, but its flowers are white;
• « double flower"- another type of terry pomegranate, having colorful flowers, where petals of red, white, pink flowers, can also be monochrome, have stripes or specks.

V natural environment one more - the second - plant species is known, it is the Socotrans Pomegranate (Punica protopunica). Its homeland is the island of Socotre. It is a tree or shrub with abundant branching. It can reach a height of 4.5 meters. It differs in smaller flowers, they are not red, but pink in color, smaller fruits and rounded leaves. This species was not accepted by gardeners due to the worst taste.

Pomegranate care at home

Among the huge variety of plant species for home cultivation, dwarf pomegranate is the most unpretentious exotic specimen. It perfectly takes root in pots or containers placed in the winter garden, greenhouse, or simply on the windowsill.

Reference: Dwarf pomegranate was awarded an honorary diploma of the Royal Horticultural Society of Great Britain for exceptional decorative properties

In order for this beautiful plant, the decorative properties of which have received the highest appreciation and recognition, to become a real decoration of the interior, you need to know how to properly care for it.

Required lighting and temperature

Despite the fact that the pomegranate is not particularly picky about the conditions of detention, nevertheless, there are a number of rules that should not be violated.

The main requirement for the proper maintenance of the plant is high level illumination. In order for flowering and fruiting to be plentiful, it is best to provide the plant with direct action sun rays. It feels great outdoors, so it can be transplanted into the garden.

In room conditions, it is best to place the pot on the south, west or east well-lit window.. North windows should be avoided. On gloomy and cloudy days, turn on additional phyto-illumination.

The room grenade needs a high level of lighting

You can shade the young seedlings of the plant a little at noon when the sun is too bright. V summer time you can put the flower on the balcony, where it will have enough light and air.

V winter time of the year, with a lack of illumination, the pomegranate may begin to partially shed its foliage. He can be helped by putting powerful phytolamps, providing at least 12 hours of daylight. Under this condition, the flowering and fruiting of the plant will continue in the winter.

Despite the fact that in the historical homeland of the pomegranate, the air temperature is usually quite high, for indoor views moderate summer warming of the air in the range of 20-25 degrees is quite suitable. The plant does not like hot or stuffy air and may lose leaves. At the same time, growth slows down noticeably. In this case, cool sprays or moving the pot to cooler conditions, such as a balcony, will help.

Often there is an opinion among flower growers that the flower has a pronounced dormant period, lasting from November to March. On this basis, you can find recommendations to place the pomegranate at this time of the year in a cooler place.

However, relying on practical experience it should be noted that if the flower is left in the winter at normal room temperature, there is no decrease in the intensity of flowering. Also, keeping warm will not have a negative impact and will not affect the formation of flower buds in any way.

Required watering and air humidity

Good conditions for keeping a pomegranate include knowledge of the rules for watering it.

• In the winter season, the flower should be watered extremely rarely, no more than once in one and a half or even two months.
• A gradual increase in watering begins in February, it should saturate the entire soil in the pot with moisture. Each subsequent watering begins after the top layer dries.
• Slightly reduce watering during flowering. This is exactly what happens in natural conditions, where the pomegranate blooms in the hottest and driest season.

Important: Both a lack and an excess of moisture can lead to a sharp loss of all buds at once by a flower.

• If the weather is hot, and the room is clearly stuffy, it is necessary to spray the indoor pomegranate with cool water. But this is not necessary if the air in the room is not very warm.
• Immediately after the end of flowering, pomegranate requires abundant watering, this will ensure the formation of a large number of flowers next year.
• If the task is to grow pomegranate fruits, then in the autumn period watering is carried out with great care. Excess moisture leads to cracking of the fruit.

Soil and fertilizer requirements for indoor pomegranate

Soil for indoor pomegranate should be loose

Despite the fact that the natural conditions for the growth of pomegranate are distinguished by the scarcity and dryness of the soil, more comfortable conditions should be provided to develop a decorative look.

To grow dwarf pomegranate, the soil must be sufficiently loose, nutritious, with rich drainage and a neutral reaction. It is not difficult to prepare a suitable mixture yourself. To do this, you can take a number of components in one part: soddy, humus, leafy soil and coarse-grained river sand. Suitable and ready soil recommended for roses as well as begonias. The drainage layer is formed from pebbles or expanded clay, they will help to drain excess water that may occur after too much watering.

If there is any doubt that the reaction of the earth mixture is really neutral, you can prepare the soil according to the following recipe:

Take the components in the following proportions and ratios:

1. Option

• sod land - 50%;
• leaf humus - 25%;
• peat - 12%.
• sand - 13%.

Option 2

• sand - 50%;
• loam - 25%;
• peat - 25%.

3.Option

• clay-turf land - 100%;
• leaf land - 50%;
• humus - 50%;
• sand - 50%.

Young indoor pomegranate plants take root well in leafy and humus soil.

Young plants take root best in soddy, humus, leafy soil mixed with sand.

It is necessary to feed the plant twice a month, but not more often. In the spring, nitrogen fertilizer of any kind is suitable. Phosphorus fertilizer is used during flowering. Gradually, as you approach autumn period switch to potassium fertilizers.

Once a month, complex fertilizer will have a good effect. It should also be added if for a long time cloudy weather persists.

Apply fertilizer to soil that is sufficiently moist. A dry earthen ball must first be watered, while draining excess water from the pan.

In autumn, along with a decrease in temperature and a decrease in watering, they reduce the amount of top dressing. The beginning of the period that does not require top dressing begins in December.

Pruning, is it necessary to transplant the pomegranate after purchase, transplant

Pomegranate pruning begins during the formation of buds on the plant. It usually comes in February. The pot is transferred from a chilled room to a warm one and the pruning of dry branches begins, on which there are no extra shoots and foliage has not appeared.

Usually pruning has a beneficial effect on the plant. At the same time, most of the small branches that have appeared are cut off.

Branching will be stimulated by pruning over the bud of a young shoot looking outward. No more than five internodes are left on this shoot.

Important: During the formation of the pomegranate, four to six skeletal branches must be left.

Heavy pruning can weaken the plant. Trimming the pomegranate's root growth will help shape the plant into a tree shape, for example, if you want to get a bonsai. Fragile branches must be handled with care, do not break them off.

Sometimes the extra shoots that appear are cut off in the summer, when the plant grows. Pruning promotes the appearance of more buds, which, as a rule, are formed only on sufficiently developed annual shoots.

Young plants need to be replanted annually. Pomegranates older than three years are transplanted only once every two or three years. The most favorable time is spring. Transplantation is carried out by the method of transshipment. Seedlings are planted in soddy soil, to which sand and drainage are added.

During each transplant, increase the size of the pot, while each subsequent diameter should exceed the previous one by 2-3 cm, but no more. Although the root system of the dwarf pomegranate is superficial, you should not choose a pot that is too wide, because. flowering is more abundant when the roots experience a little tightness.

Propagation of indoor pomegranate seeds and cuttings

Indoor pomegranate can be propagated in two ways.

Pomegranate propagation is carried out in two ways: seeds and cuttings.

To get a pomegranate from seeds, you need to take ready-made ones bought in a specialized store. In this case, flowering will come already in the year of planting, and fruiting in a year or two.

The seeds of a fresh fruit, a growing dwarf pomegranate, are also suitable. Their germination lasts up to six months. Seeds of the largest and most ripe fruits will do. They are washed from the pulp and dried. You can sow them in April, putting them in the ground no deeper than half a centimeter. Seed growth occurs quite quickly and then the strongest of the seedlings are planted in pots. When grown, they provide warmth and good watering. You can pinch several times.

Cuttings can also be taken from fruit-bearing plants. In the summer, semi-lignified shoots are taken, and in February - lignified ones. They are cut, leaving 4-6 buds on each and planted in moist soil at an angle. Each cutting is covered with a bottle or jar, left in a humid environment. Requires daily airing, spraying and watering. The cuttings are planted after 2-3 months. Flowering will come in a year or two.

Diseases and pests

Indoor pomegranate is susceptible to the scale insect pest, fitoverm is used to fight.

Dwarf pomegranate growing indoors is prone to diseases. The most common indoor pomegranate diseases are: powdery mildew, whitefly, scale insect. If there are few pests, they can be collected by hand. With significant reproduction, chemicals are used, fitoverm is suitable.

In a room that is too dry, it may appear spider mite. To prevent it, spraying is necessary. The plant is treated with Actellik, temporarily covering the ground with polyethylene.

Pomegranate can hurt if watered too much. At the same time, his leaves turn yellow. In this case, it is transplanted into dry soil, rotten roots are cut off, sprinkled with crushed coal.

rest period

When breeding at home, you can often observe how a flower sheds leaves at the end of November. This happens after the ripening of its fruits. It is for this reason that many gardeners believe that there is then a dormant period when the plant needs to be kept in more chilled conditions.

As a rule, young plants that have not reached the age of three years do not need special air cooling, they do not need rest.

Growing indoor pomegranate is not particularly difficult. If you follow the basic rules of care, this is amazing. exotic plant will delight the eye with bright colors and even fruits.

Pomegranate (Punica) is widely known as a southern fruit with delicious ruby ​​seeds. However, the tree itself, resembling a lush shrub, has a decorative value.

V outdoor conditions the plant reaches 10 m. In indoor floriculture, the form of dwarf pomegranate (or Punica nana) is popular. This is a natural variety of the “common” pomegranate. The pot is very limited in growth, and the tree barely reaches a meter height.

Caring for indoor pomegranate at home is quite simple, but it has its own characteristics. Although the birthplace of the plant is the East, the fruit of the tree got its name when, in the 10th century BC. The Phoenicians (for the Romans - the Punians) moved from Asia to Africa.

In Carthage (modern Tunisia), the pomegranate took root remarkably, and the Romans called it malum punicum (Punic, or Carthaginian apple), or malum granatum (granular apple). In 1758, K. Linnaeus gave the plant a botanical name - Punica. Today, the pomegranate tree is cultivated as a fruit or ornamental crop throughout the world.

Preparing for landing

Seeds can be purchased from a grower's shop. Several popular species decorative pomegranate have the common name Punica granatum "nana" (or dwarf), the size varies from 30 to 100 cm. Nana pomegranate requires enough easy care at home. Popular varieties:

• pomegranate "Carthage dwarf" can grow up to a meter;
• pomegranate "baby" is very miniature - 30-50 cm.

There are other, less popular indoor varieties, but they are larger and are not considered dwarf.

The first description of the dwarf pomegranate was received in 1803. The height in natural conditions reaches 120 cm, in a pot - no higher than 90-100 cm. Its leaves are glossy, oval, grow in pairs. From spring, the crown is bright green, by the end of summer - a reddish hue, turns yellow in autumn. During the flowering period, it is strewn with bright red flowers. The branches are thin, fragile, erect. How to grow a beautiful and healthy pomegranate on the windowsill?

Choosing a place at home

It is best to place a pot with a home pomegranate plant right on the windowsill. The south, east or west side of the house is suitable, provided that there is enough light. In cloudy weather, lighting with phytolamps is very desirable.

Soil selection

Wild pomegranates are often content with poor and dry land. But for full growth, the room version needs to create good conditions. Pomegranate soils like neutral, loose, nutritious, with drainage (expanded clay, pebbles are suitable as it). You can prepare the soil for indoor pomegranate yourself. Usually it is turf and leafy soil, humus, sand in approximately the same proportions. You can also add peat, but remember about the neutral reaction! Purchased soil, you can choose suitable for roses or begonias.

Pot selection

The root system of a pomegranate grows stronger in width than in depth, similar to a washcloth. The pot should be wide and shallow so that the roots occupy the entire volume of the earth. Therefore, large sizes are not required.

Planting seeds

Reproduction by seeds (seeds) from purchased fruits is not recommended, since these fruits are often hybrid, which means they do not carry the genes of the mother plant. But you can use fruits ripened on indoor bushes. The ripest and largest are selected. Seeds suitable for sowing should be firm and creamy in color. Soft and greenish will not sprout. The pulp should be peeled off (otherwise they will rot during germination), rinse the bones, can be kept in a weak solution of potassium permanganate and dried. Now they can be stored for up to six months. Fruits suitable for collecting seeds ripen by winter. But the best time for any crops is spring, and the pomegranate will rise quickly enough. At other times of the year, the process can take several months.

Having understood all the preparatory stages, you need to learn how to care for indoor pomegranate.

Care

Lighting

This is one of the main factors successful cultivation. Pomegranate loves a lot of sun and just bright light. Chronic lack of light will provoke the dropping of leaves. Strong and healthy plants easily tolerate hot sunlight. In the summer, it is advisable to take the pot with the plant outside, as the plant also loves fresh air. But the first days in direct sunlight do not last long, adaptation is needed.

From the lack of light, the branches of the pomegranate tree will begin to stretch, the foliage will become smaller and thinner. Home pomegranate care primarily requires good lighting.

Temperature

During the growing season, that is, from spring to autumn, the optimum is 24-26 degrees, but easily tolerates periods with more high temperatures. During the rest period, 10-12 degrees are maintained, but not lower than +7. The plant should rest for 1-2 months, this will favorably affect subsequent flowering and fruiting. If it is not possible to withstand low temperatures, then it is advisable to at least reduce watering, put it in a dark place and remove the foliage (it itself will crumble under such conditions). But indoor pomegranate may well do without a dormant period.

Watering and spraying

During the period of growth and flowering, pomegranate consumes a lot of water. It should be watered abundantly twice a week (or as the earth in the pot dries out). But you can’t fill it either - the plant will start to hurt. In winter, when the tree is resting, the complete drying of the soil should not be allowed.

Tip: “If the pomegranate is watered abundantly after it has faded, then next year flowering will be even more magnificent. But in this case, the fruits will be prone to cracking.

He loves spraying pomegranates, so you need to do them at least once a day in the heat and a couple of times a week in warm weather. It is believed that there is no special need for this, but appearance grenade improved. In winter, spraying is not required.

Fertilizer

Top dressing is done twice a month in the warm season. Since spring, pomegranate requires more nitrogen, during flowering - phosphorus, and with the advent of autumn - potassium. Once a month it is necessary to make a comprehensive mineral fertilizer. In autumn, plant feeding is reduced, from December they stop completely.

Air humidity

She does not have special significance and depends on the time of year. In the heat, the plant will favorably accept spraying, but other additional measures to increase humidity can be omitted.

pruning

Helps form a bush, stimulates it to active growth and generally has a beneficial effect on the tree. If the procedure is carried out regularly, then the plant will bush well. Pomegranate is formed into 4-6 main branches. Thin branches are cut as follows: each shoot is left with 5-6 whorls for leaves, and a neat cut is made above the top of the buds. You should not get carried away either - a large loss of the crown will weaken the plant. In addition, only annual shoots bloom, and in the summer only young shoots are pruned. This procedure stimulates flowering.

Advice: “On a pomegranate tree, fattening branches can form, that is, they do not give flowers and fruits, they are useless. It is better to cut them off immediately, then the plant will quickly begin to grow new shoots.

Bush formation

A beautiful healthy tree consists of a main trunk, 5-6 large skeletal branches and many shoots. Pomegranate, when grown in a pot, often produces root growth - it must be cut off so that the main plant does not grind. Formation starts with young age such a method as pinching shoots. They do this after the appearance of the third pair of leaves on each shoot, simply pinching off the growth point. Thus, growing and caring for such a houseplant as a pomegranate will not be difficult.

Bloom

In the natural environment, it can last all year round. Pollination is independent. But indoor specimens of pomegranate bloom profusely and for a long time. This usually happens from April - May to August. Large bell-shaped flowers are so beautiful that it is worth growing just for them. exotic tree. Pomegranate flowers are self-pollinated, divided into two types:

1. similar to jugs, with 2 pistils, from which fruits are later tied;
2. in the form of bells, not bearing fruit.

There are about 10 times more empty flowers, they quickly fade and crumble. Pollinated can fragrant up to 10 days. Their size is 2-3 cm in diameter and 4 in length.

Fruiting

Comes 3-5 years from planting, depending on the variety. In autumn, the dwarf pomegranate sets fruit. They are small and round. The skin can be from light orange to dark burgundy. In the largest-fruited indoor varieties, they do not exceed 5 cm in diameter. Outside, the pomegranate fruits are covered with a thin but tough peel, and inside there are many small scarlet seeds with stones. Pomegranate tastes sour.

rest period

If any form of garden pomegranate grows as an indoor pomegranate in a tub, then the tree will hibernate for the winter. In autumn, it will shed its leaves, and by spring it will begin to release new ones. The dormant period lasts more often from November to February.

If ordinary species pomegranate deciduous, then dwarf - evergreen. You can provide the plant with additional lighting with phytolamps (so that a total daylight hours last 12 hours). Then there will be no dormant period, but the pomegranate does not bloom at this time. If, nevertheless, the tree crumbled, then it must be placed in a cool place (veranda, loggia, even basement), not watered or fertilized.

Transfer

A young plant that has not yet reached maximum size, transplanted annually, each time slightly increasing the pot. You don’t need to take too much capacity - until the pomegranate takes up the entire space with its roots, it will practically not grow and bloom on its own. It is enough for an adult tree to transplant into fresh soil every three years. This is done by transshipment in order to damage as little as possible. root system.

reproduction

The pomegranate tree propagates easily in several ways:

Bones (seeds)

How to grow a tree from a seed? In March or April, they are sown in a container with loose soil under the film. Before planting a pomegranate, it is better to soak the seeds in a growth stimulator solution for 12 hours. To do this, they are wrapped in damp gauze and covered with a film so that not only moisture, but also air can be accessed. You can simply put the bones in a saucer and pour liquid so that they are partially exposed to air. Such measures will accelerate seedlings. Growing a houseplant pomegranate is made from fresh seeds, because they quickly lose their germination capacity. They are deepened by 1 cm. They germinate within 2 weeks. For germination, you need light, heat of 25-27 degrees, moist soil (you can save it from drying out by periodic spraying so as not to accidentally wash out the soil). Picking is done in the phase of 2-3 pairs of true leaves in separate small pots. When the pomegranate reaches 10-15 cm, you can begin to pinch the shoots so that they grow better.

Inoculation

The method is a little laborious, but effective. As a rootstock, you can take any young pomegranate tree, for example, obtained from a stone. But cuttings are used varietal, from a good, healthy, flowering and fruiting tree. The grafting method can be used by any of the known ones, for example, in a split or a side cut. The guarantee of survival is not absolute, but the chances are great.

cuttings

This method of propagation is optimal, since the cuttings of the plant easily take root and take root, and all the genetic properties of the variety are preserved. To do this, branches with 4-5 living buds are cut from the bush. The cuttings should be young, but already starting to stiffen. In spring and summer, the rooting of small plants is faster. Cut twigs are soaked in root growth stimulants. The lower part is cleared of buds and stuck into the soil, slightly at an angle, 3-4 cm deep. Rooting is not a quick process, some of the cuttings will dry out, so it is better to plant several of them at once. As soon as the plants take root, start up new shoots, you can plant each pomegranate in a separate pot.

Diseases

Unfavorable conditions such as high humidity, low temperatures, lack of fresh air, can provoke plant diseases such as:

powdery mildew starts from dampness, the fungus, covering the leaves of the tree with a white coating, spreads throughout the plant at great speed. At the initial stage, spraying with ash or a solution of soap, colloidal sulfur will help, but if it doesn’t help, then only chemicals.

Branch Cancer- an intractable disease caused by a fungus or bacteria. On the tree, the branches begin to dry, the bark deteriorates. The affected parts should be removed immediately (with a margin of 2 cm from the healthy part), and the cuts and the whole tree should be treated with copper-containing preparations. If the main trunk is affected, then it will not be possible to save the plant. When the leaves of the plant crumble before the onset of winter, this is the norm.

If the leaf fall began in the middle of the vegetative period, then, probably, the watering is insufficient, or the lack of nutrients, stuffy room, too rare spraying in the heat. Growth retardation can be caused by transplanting into too large a pot.

Excess moisture will cause the leaves to turn yellow. With systematic flooding, it will begin to rot underground part tree. Then the pomegranate must be removed from the pot, carefully examine the roots, remove the damaged ones, treat the entire root system with potassium permanganate. Sprinkle slices with ash or activated charcoal, and then plant the plant in fresh soil. It is impossible to forget about the lower drainage layer during transplantation in order to avoid relapse.

Pests

Indoor pomegranate is not so often attacked by pests, here are the most common of them:

whitefly- swarms of white midges accumulate under the leaves of the tree, flying up when the plant is shaken.

spider mite- the leaves of the plant are covered with white dots, thin cobwebs. If there are few pests on the pomegranate, then you can collect them with your hands, a cloth dipped in soapy water or rinse off with a shower. If the disease is in advanced form, then treatment with chemicals is needed. Pests more often attack the weakened in bad conditions plant content. The biggest requirements of a flower like indoor pomegranate are bright light and sufficient watering.

The plant can sit in the same pot for years and does not require greenhouse conditions. home pomegranate does not require too complicated care, but in beauty and decorativeness it will surpass any indoor plants.

10Pomegranates are loved for their tasty and juicy fruits. Many people dream of growing pomegranate at home, but this is an exotic plant with its own characteristics. To get the long-awaited fruits, you need to know how to care for decorative pomegranate. In the premises, he performs primarily decorative features. For these qualities, the plant was awarded a diploma from the Horticultural Society in England. Caring for a decorative pomegranate at home is not difficult.

Decorative pomegranate will decorate any room

The pomegranate is a representative of the Loosestrife family, in the natural environment it is represented by trees and shrubs, the height of which can reach 5-6 meters. The distribution area is the mountainous regions of India, Southern Europe, the Russian Caucasus. At home, pomegranates rarely grow up to a meter high, cultivation - process not always fast.

The pomegranate has a thin, woody trunk covered with small, clustered leaves that may be lanceolate or ellipsoid in shape. Their color changes depending on the season: green in spring, yellow in autumn. Flowers, resembling a funnel, grow individually or in inflorescences. They can be of different colors (white, yellow, orange), bloom in the summer indoors, in nature all year round.

Fruits with a diameter of about 12 cm and weighing up to 0.5 kg can only be grown from bell-shaped flowers. Their color varies from pale pink to bright scarlet, in a berry there are about 10 cells with seeds that have a sweet and sour taste.

The history of the origin of the pomegranate

According to legend, the pomegranate was called the "Punic apple", in Latin the word sounds "punica", it denotes the original area of ​​\u200b\u200bits growth Carthage (now Tunisia). Pomegranate was an indispensable attribute Greek goddess Hera and personified the passionate love relationship. The color of the juice was reminiscent of the blood of warriors killed in battles in ancient times. Another Latin word "granularis" (granular) gave Russian name this fruit, it indicates the main characteristic of the fruit.

Uses of pomegranate and its beneficial properties

Many cultivate pomegranates solely for the sake of tasty fruits. It is used:

• consumed fresh;
• added as a seasoning to meat and fish dishes;
• obtained from juice citric acid, syrups, sauces;
• pomegranate peel is used to make medicines;
• in cosmetic procedures.

Decorative pomegranate is extremely rich in useful substances, they are contained in all its parts: fruits, leaves, flowers, trunk, roots, peel. It consists of:

• vitamins of group B, C;
• many amino acids;
• monosaccharides;
• iron, iodine, calcium.

Useful properties of pomegranate:

• vitamin B12 has a positive effect on the blood, hemoglobin rises, blood pressure stabilizes (it is recommended to drink juice);
• pomegranate seeds will help those suffering from diabetes;
• this is a high-calorie fruit that helps to fight losing weight with bouts of hunger;
• its cleansing abilities are comparable to green tea;
• vitamins will support the body during the cold season;
• the fetus normalizes the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract;
• it boosts immunity.

pomegranate contains useful material not only in berries, but also in the skin

Types of pomegranate

• ordinary pomegranate in nature grows up to 10 meters;
• a variety of ordinary pomegranate grown at home is a dwarf pomegranate 30 cm high, flowering occurs in the first year, fruits reaching 3 cm in diameter are often removed so that they do not interfere with flowering;
• variety "Flore Pleno" has terry to the touch and bright-looking flowers, the plant does not bear fruit, slightly higher than the dwarf variety;
• "Double Flower" - the owner of terry flowers of various shades with patterns;
• 'Flore Pleno Alba' is famous for its white flowers;
• Socotran pomegranate got its name from the island where it comes from, it has small flowers and berries, it tastes very sweet;
• there are special species growing in the Crimea.

Pomegranate flower Flore Pleno

Reproduction of decorative pomegranate

Pomegranate can be propagated in two ways: seeds and cuttings. Each grower can choose the option available to him and suitable for the existing conditions.

Reproduction by seeds

This method is best used in autumn or spring. Seeds are taken from the fruit itself, they are thoroughly washed, dried during the day, put in the refrigerator, filtered after a few days. Soil for flowering plants or a mixture is placed in the pot, which includes parts of leafy soil, peat, humus and sand, the depth of seed penetration is 0.5-1 cm. There should be drainage inside the pot. It is advisable to cover everything with a film from above and put it where the temperature does not fall below 25 ° C.

When several strong leaves sprouts after about 2 months must be placed in separate containers. Cultivation will be successful, the flower will have a warm and humid microclimate.

The danger of propagation of decorative pomegranate by seeds is that it is likely that it will lose the features of one or another variety. Therefore, seeds are taken only from species forms, but they quickly germinate.

Reproduction by cuttings

This procedure is best done in the summer. The algorithm for growing decorative pomegranate is as follows:

1. Take a cutting 10 cm long from a plant that has already borne fruit more than once, which has several buds.
2. Place the cutting in a slightly damp mixture of peat and sand at an angle of 45-50 degrees, a couple of buds should be in the ground.
3. Vessels with sprouts should have recesses in the bottom, and the vessels should be covered with foil.
4. Sprouts need to be provided with good watering, ventilation, and a temperature of more than 20 ° C, so that after propagation by cuttings they take root.
5. After 2 months, when the plant is formed, it can be transplanted into a separate pot. It can bloom in the same year.

Pomegranate cuttings are carried out in the summer

Caring for decorative pomegranate at home

Even a novice florist can take care of a decorative pomegranate. You need to make some efforts if you want to grow it not only for the sake of contemplation beautiful flowers but also obtaining nutritious fruits. Falling yellow leaves are often perceived as a symptom of plant disease; for a pomegranate, this is an absolutely normal event in the fall.

Place and lighting needed for a decorative pomegranate

Room pomegranate is preferably placed near south-facing windows. With a lack of daylight hours, the plant needs to be provided with additional light with phytolamps, otherwise it will shed its leaves.

In summer, the pot can be put on the balcony, but do not do it abruptly, but gradually accustom the flower to bright sun. It is better to protect it from direct rays, especially at noon.

Optimal temperature for decorative pomegranate

In the summer season, pomegranate feels comfortable in the temperature range from 20 to 25 ° C. If the temperature is above this mark, then it is better to take the flower out into the fresh air; constant ventilation is also indispensable. November-March is the dormant time for the plant, the temperature should be around 12 ° C, the critical minimum is 6 ° C.

Watering decorative pomegranate

The need for moisture is determined by the stage of plant development:

• active flower cultivation is accompanied by an excess need for water;
• in the warm period, the pomegranate needs abundant watering;
• in winter, the plant does not need a lot of moisture, watering can be reduced to 1-2 times a month;
• if the pomegranate has bloomed, then it should be watered less;
• when fruits appear, water them carefully to avoid damaging them.

During periods of water shortage, watering is carried out 2 times a week. This is signaled by dry upper layer soil. To get as many fruits as possible, the water temperature during irrigation should be 18 ° C.

Humidity

High humidity can lead to pest infestation, damage to parts of the plant, so moderation is important. Spraying, containers with water will help get rid of dry air. In the warm season, spraying with warm water is necessary for the plant at least 2 times a week. It is advisable to wipe the surfaces in the pot room more often with a damp cloth, not forgetting the pomegranate leaves.

Soil for decorative pomegranate

Pomegranates are best planted in a narrow pot, this increases the number of ripened fruits. Soil composition: turf, clay, part of the leaf earth, sand, expanded clay. She should be neutral. You can buy a mix flowering plants, but it should be fertile, loose, pass air and moisture well.

The soil for flowering plants is quite suitable for planting pomegranate

Top dressing of decorative pomegranate

Spring and summer are the time of active feeding. The grenade is suitable for both chemical (nitrogen) and organic fertilizers (chicken manure, mullein infusion). Fertilizers are applied a couple of times a month. When there is an active cultivation of decorative pomegranate, it needs fertilizers with potassium and phosphorus, complex fertilizers can also be used.

Before applying the substance, the flower should be watered, drained from the pan so that the soil remains moist. Reduce feeding in autumn.

Pruning decorative pomegranate

Pomegranate pruning is done to give it a beautiful shape, it also increases its lifespan. It is necessary to cut the shoots above the buds, in dry and long branches that have already borne fruit, leave 4-5 internodes. Pruning is done at the end of winter, during the rapid growth of the flower, you can also cut off excess shoots. Cuts need to be processed.

Transplantation of decorative pomegranate

A plant that has not reached the age of three should be replanted every year so that it has enough room to grow. A more adult flower is transplanted as needed. It is best to transplant in early spring. The diameter of the new pot should be half a liter larger than the previous one; transplantation is carried out by transshipment. The composition of the soil can be mixed with the obligatory content of turf, sand, there must be a drainage layer below.

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