Pomegranate origin, growing environment and varieties

Pomegranate has a hard outer shell filled with many small grains of pulp, which is very moist and is often used to symbolize "many children and good fortune", which is very auspicious.

Pomegranate

"Pomegranate is a rare tree in the world and a famous fruit in the nine continents." "Its flowers and fruits are both beautiful, and their flavors are also unique. In the autumn, it receives the weather, and it blooms and bears fruits. Thousands of pods share the same stem, and thousands of fruits are the same. They are colorful and bright, and their light shines. The flavor is infused, and the fragrance overflows." This is a passage from "Anshi Liufu" by Yuan Yue of the Jin Dynasty. It describes the appearance, ecology, color, taste, fragrance and shape of pomegranate flowers and fruits in a variety of charming and beautiful ways with its vivid writing.

Pomegranate is also known as Anshiliu, Ruoliu, Danruo, Jinpeng, Jinpang, Tulin, etc. It is a deciduous shrub or small tree, which becomes an evergreen tree in the tropics. Pomegranate is native to Persia (now Iran) and was introduced to my country in the second century BC. According to Zhang Hua's "Records of Natural History" in the Jin Dynasty, "Zhang Qian of the Han Dynasty was sent as an envoy to the Western Regions and brought back pomegranate seeds from the country of Tulin Anshi, so it was named Anshiliu." "In which year, the country of Anshi offered pomegranate flowers thousands of miles away. It was sent to the source of the river and relied on the Han envoys." This is what the situation was like at that time.

Pomegranates are popular because of their beautiful flowers and fruits and their easy cultivation. Therefore, pomegranate flowers are listed as the "monthly flowers" of the fifth month of the Chinese lunar calendar, and May is called the "Pomegranate Month".

The flower god of the pomegranate flowers in May is the legendary ghost king Zhong Kui. As for the folk paintings of Zhong Kui, there is a bright red pomegranate flower inserted in his ear, which further indicates that Zhong Kui, who has a fiery personality, is the fiery pomegranate flower god. Although it is a poetic imagination of the ancient people, it is the most appropriate. In the "host and guest" theory of flower arrangement in the Ming Dynasty, pomegranate flowers are always listed as one of the flower hosts, called flower leaders, supplemented by gardenias, hollyhocks, chrysanthemums, carnations, crape myrtles, etc. These flowers are called flower guests or flower messengers, and some are even compared to concubines and maids. It can be seen that the ancients respected pomegranates.

The skin of a mature pomegranate is bright red or pink, and often cracks to reveal crystal-like gemstones. It is sweet and sour and juicy. Although it is troublesome to eat, it is very delicious. Because of its bright color and plump seeds, it is often used as a festive fruit, meaning "many children and good fortune". During folk weddings, pomegranates with the peel cut open to reveal the berries are often placed on the desk of the bridal chamber or elsewhere. Some people also give pomegranates as gifts to wish good luck. Common auspicious paintings among the people include "Pomegranates with Hundreds of Seeds", "Three Abundances", "Three Blessings for Huafeng", and "Many Children and Good Fortunes".

Pomegranate Origin

Pomegranates are native to Asia Minor countries such as Iran and Afghanistan. Today, there are still large tracts of wild pomegranate forests on mountains at an altitude of 300 to 1,000 meters in Iran, Afghanistan, Azerbaijan and the Republic of Georgia.

Today, pomegranates are cultivated in China, India, Asia, Africa, and Europe along the Mediterranean coast, with the largest number grown in Africa.

The key pomegranate producing areas in my country, mainly producing fruit, include Lintong, Qianxian, Sanyuan in Shaanxi Province, Huaiyuan, Xiaoshan, Suixi, Chaoxian in Anhui Province, Suzhou, Nanjing, Xuzhou, Pixian in Jiangsu Province, Mengzi, Qiaojia, Jianshui, Chenggong in Yunnan Province, and Huili area in Sichuan Province; in addition, Yecheng pomegranate in Xinjiang is world-famous for its large fruit and high quality.

Pomegranate growing environment

Pomegranate likes light, has a certain degree of cold resistance, likes moist and fertile calcareous soil, is relatively resistant to barrenness and drought, is afraid of waterlogging, and requires a lot of water during the growing season. Pomegranates can be cultivated mainly in gardening, fruit tree cultivation, bonsai and potted cultivation. For open-field cultivation, choose a place with sufficient light and good drainage. For potted plants, shallow planting is recommended, and watering needs to be controlled. It is better to keep it dry than wet.

Pomegranate varieties

At present, the main varieties of pomegranates include agate pomegranate, pink pomegranate, green pomegranate, and jade pomegranate.