Sweet varieties of pomegranate
Pomegranate is a fruit-bearing deciduous shrub or tree, reaching a height of 5 m or more. Thin prickly branches of the plant are abundantly covered with small, glossy leaves of bright green color. From funnel-shaped, orange-scarlet flowers, large fruits develop – spherical berries, called “pomegranates” in botany.
The diameter of the fruit often reaches 17–18 cm. Under the leathery skin, which can be of any shade from yellow to dark red, numerous seeds are hidden. Pomegranate seeds are in a kind of chambers – inedible partitions of white and yellow color. Each seed is surrounded by juicy, sweet and sour pulp, and there are more than a thousand of them in one fruit.
Pomegranate fruits are a storehouse of vitamins, organic acids and useful microelements
In terms of the content of vitamins, useful microelements and organic acids, pomegranate is difficult to find a competitor. Pomegranate juice is recommended for anemia and vitamin deficiency, in baby and medical nutrition.
There are only two types of wild-growing pomegranate. Ordinary, he is also the founder of all cultivated varieties, settled in the south of Europe and in the western part of Asia. On the island of Socotra in the Arabian Sea and only there, the Socotran pomegranate grows, which is not cultivated due to the bitter taste of the fruit.
Common pomegranate is widespread in warm regions of the tropics and subtropics. He is loved and willingly grown in the countries of the Middle East and the Caucasus, Central Asia and Southern Europe. In Russia, this sun-loving fruit tree feels good on the entire Black Sea coast and in the south of Dagestan. From one adult plant, 50-60 kg of excellent fruits are harvested there.
Pomegranate fruiting is a magical sight
Thanks to the work of breeders, today there are more than 500 varieties of pomegranates. They differ from each other in the size and taste of fruits, juiciness and color of the pulp, resistance to diseases and damage by pests. Sweet and sour pomegranates are valued no less than sweet ones, since they are used to make all kinds of sauces and are added to ready-made dishes to add flavor to the flavor. Sweet ones are good for juicing and fresh consumption.
Fruits with light grains are often referred to as white pomegranate. In fact, the flesh is never pure white – there is always a light pink tint.
Popular light varieties:
- The sweetest is the Dholka pomegranate grown in India. A short shrub with medium-sized fruits rarely exceeding 200 g. The seeds are large, light pink or almost white with an excellent sweet taste.
- One of the best varieties of pomegranate grown in Iran is Ahmar. A tree up to four meters high from June to the end of summer is covered with bright orange-scarlet flowers. Medium-sized fruits are covered with a thick, light skin. The seeds are pale pink, sometimes almost white and have a very good sweet taste. This is one of the sweetest varieties of pomegranate.
- Akdona is a popular variety in Central Asia. The pomegranate is grown as a large shrub. Fruits are spherical in shape, slightly flattened, weighing about 250 g, although individual fruits are very large in size up to 600 g or more. The peel is light, glossy with a slight blush. The elongated grains are pale pink with a very good sweet taste.
- Pomegranate with white grains Tuya Tish, which translates into Russian as a camel’s tooth, is a variety of the Akdona variety. Looking at the light yellow peel gives the impression that the pomegranate is still green, but it is not. The flesh of these fruits is almost white with soft small seeds. The taste is very sweet, the content of vitamins and microelements is the same as in red-colored varieties.
White pomegranate seeds almost always have a slightly pink tint.
Pomegranate is a very thermophilic plant, therefore, it is grown outdoors only in the southernmost regions of our country. In addition, this plant makes great demands on the sun – there should be a lot of it. Even with partial shading, the pomegranate ceases to bloom, and therefore to bear fruit. Thanks to the work of breeders, more and more varieties of this fruit appear that can withstand slight drops in air temperature. But no matter how frost-resistant the variety is, if there is a possibility of negative winter temperatures, the pomegranate must be covered for the winter.
The most famous frost-resistant varieties:
- The early Nikitsky pomegranate variety was included in the state register of selection achievements in 2014. Fast-growing low tree. Fruits of universal use with an average ripening period. The weight of the fruit is about 280 g, the peel is glossy, greenish-yellow in color with red stripes and spots. Sweet and sour cherry-colored grains have no aroma. The variety is resistant to heat and drought, withstands temperatures as low as -12 ° C.
- Variety Nyutinsky early ripening, entered in the state register of selection achievements in 2014. The tree is undersized, slow-growing with a compact crown. Fruits weighing about 220 g are covered with a smooth dark red skin. The grains are red, sweet and sour, without aroma. Drought-resistant variety, tolerates frosts down to -12 ° C without loss.
- The Chernomorsky variety was included in the state register of breeding achievements in 2020. A tree of medium height, fast-growing with a rounded, neat crown. Fruiting is annual. Fruits are large, up to 280 g, with cherry sweet and sour grains and thick peel. Differs in high drought resistance and the ability to withstand temperatures down to -12оС.
- Asian pomegranate is grown mainly in Ukraine. Shrub of early maturity. Fruits weighing up to 150 g are covered with a thin skin of light cream or pink tones. Large, sweet and sour grains of juicy purple color. The seeds are small. The shrub can withstand short-term drops in temperature to -20 ° C, but shelter is required for the winter.
Asian pomegranate is one of the most frost-resistant varieties
Seedless pomegranate varieties are quite rare and are considered seedless rather conditionally. All varieties have seeds, but here they are very small and soft. The fruits of these varieties yield 20% more juice than pomegranates with seeds and are excellent for fresh consumption and for processing.
One of the most famous seedless garnets is the Vandeful garnet. This is not the most productive variety, it gives no more than 15 kg of fruits from one tree. Fruits weighing 250-300 g are covered with a creamy skin with a blush. It is appreciated for the high quality of grains with juicy, pink and very sweet pulp. Vandeful is grown in Peru, Israel and some Asian countries.
Seedless Vandeful pomegranate seeds have a pleasant sweet taste
In Spain, seedless pomegranates of the Mollar de Elche variety are grown on plantations. The fruits are rather large, often reaching a mass of 600–800 g. The peel is thin, but strong, pink in color. The grains are large and have a pleasant sweet taste.
The fruit of the Mollar de Elche pomegranate looks like apples.
Pomegranate is a rather unpretentious, but very thermophilic plant and few gardeners can afford to grow it on their own plots. However, the dwarf forms of this plant grow well at home, like a pot culture. The baby will certainly not surprise with the harvest of its owners, but will delight the decorativeness of the flowering tree. Indoor pomegranate is a godsend for bonsai art lovers and many growers are happy to experiment with this patient plant.
Indoor pomegranate is great for creating bonsai-style trees
Consider domestic and foreign varieties of pomegranate.
The Beibis variety is the smallest of all those offered for growing at home. The form of the plant is a bush. Grows no more than 50 cm in height.
Very decorative, beautifully blooming pomegranate variety. A shrub that partially loses its foliage during the dormant period in the fall; requires mandatory annual cutting and thinning.
Dwarf Carthage
A plant variety specially designed for home growing. A small tree, with a haircut it is desirable to keep the height of the plant no more than 60-70 cm.
If the plant is not cut, the branches become thinner, the small growth inside the crown creates an untidy, ugly appearance. The plant not only looks worse, but also blooms less often. The appearance of the plant during flowering is simply mesmerizing.
The variety Carthage is not whimsical, it grows and develops well. With sufficient moisture and light, it bears fruit annually.
It is believed that the tastiest and sweetest fruits come from Iran. Ahmar belongs to the sweet Iranian varieties. The plant reaches a height of 4 meters. It blooms with red-orange flowers, not very elongated. Flowering lasts from mid-June to late August.
Fruits are of medium size, the rind is pink-green, thick. The grains are light pink. The lighter the grains, the sweeter the fruit. It is believed that in terms of sugar content, Ahmar is in one of the first places.
The local population appreciates it not only for the taste of the fruit. Thin branches are suitable for weaving baskets; high-quality dye was previously obtained from flowers. All parts of the plant are used in folk medicine.
Nar-Shirin
The Nar-Shirin variety is similar in description and taste to Akhmar. The peel of ripe fruits is pale. On the outside, it is pink-beige with beige-green splashes. Beige inside.
Nar-Shirin grains are small, round in shape. The color gradually fades from pale pink to dark. The variety is classified as sweet.
Iranian pomegranates most often grow in nature, they began to be cultivated recently, mainly in the central regions. The local population uses the fruits of wild plantings for food.
Despite their good taste, they are inferior to other varieties, larger and more attractive. They are mainly used in the domestic market.
Dholka
Classification
Systematic position of the genus
Traditionally, the genus Garnet was allocated to its own family. Punicaceae
1. Later studies proved that it is more correct to place the genus in the Derbennikov family (
Lythraceae
), which was done in the framework of the APG classification.
Types
There are only two species in the genus .. Punica granatum – common pomegranate and Punica protopunica Balf. – Socotran pomegranate, or Protopunik pomegranate – endemic to the Yemeni island of Socotra, distinguished by pink, not red flowers and less sweet and large fruits.
Fetus
Punica granatum
What are the types of pomegranate fruit
Another category includes types of pomegranate with soft seeds that are hardly noticeable when eaten with the grains. These species do not grow everywhere, as they are more capricious and require increased attention. Such varieties need to comply with the level of humidity and air temperature, and they also prefer a certain soil composition.
More than five hundred cultivated varieties of pomegranate are known, and thanks to the efforts of breeders, their number is increasing every year. At the same time, the goal is to develop species with increased resistance to diseases and low temperatures.
On the territory of the reserve in the village. Kara-Kala, which is located in Turkmenistan, has the largest collection of pomegranates. About 800 different types of culture grow here.
There are several types of garnet, from which all other hybrid forms were obtained. Each of them differs not only in the size and color of the fruit, but also in the color of the grains, as well as other characteristics. Therefore, in order to understand the difference between them, it is necessary to consider some varieties separately.
Pink pomegranate varieties include:
- Ak-Don;
- Nar-Shirin;
- Dholka.
Benefit and harm
The benefits of pomegranate have been known since ancient times. Modern scientists have proven that ruby fruits make the immune system stronger and can help the body fight unpleasant diseases. Pomegranate tree that contains vitamins of groups A, B, C, E, PP, iodine, potassium, calcium, iron, phosphorus.
The uniqueness of the plant lies in the content of fifteen amino acids, as a result of which the pomegranate can be called an amazing find for vegetarians. The fruits contain punicalagin, a strong antioxidant, and tannins. All the constituents of the plant are useful.
REFERENCE! Pomegranates can be eaten fresh, as well as a variety of drinks, juices, preserves and seasonings.
There are also side effects from the use of this plant, so you need to know when to stop and be careful. We wrote in more detail about the benefits and dangers of the fruit and its seeds in another article.
The best varieties of pomegranate
A low-growing bush variety of pomegranate, the height of which does not exceed 0,5 m. Its homeland is the Mediterranean and Asia. Forms small yellow-orange fruits.
Important! The Baby variety has high decorative qualities, so it can be kept as a houseplant.
Abundant bloom from April to September. It makes no sense to grow for the sake of fruits, since the percentage of the ovary is small. The leaves have a glossy surface, collected in bunches. The branches are covered with small thorns.
The Baby pomegranate variety needs annual pruning of the bush to preserve its decorative qualities.
Mangulati Sweet
Israeli variety of pomegranate, height reaches 5 m. The species is characterized by an average size of fruits, the weight of which is 180-210 g. The grains are juicy, sweet and sour, and have a pleasant taste.
The seeds of the fruit are used in the production of cosmetics, as they have an antioxidant effect. On their basis, oil is prepared that saturates the skin with collagen, which allows you to restore the lost turgor.
Based on this variety, several hybrid forms of pomegranate were bred, the fruit weight of which reaches 400 g.
Carthage
Another dwarf type of pomegranate, the height of which does not exceed 1 m. It has a long flowering, so it can be grown as an ornamental indoor plant. The leaves of the Carthage variety are oblong, light green in color.
The color of the flowers can be yellow, white and red-orange, but the latter is the most common.
Important! Carthage is characterized by small fruits that have no nutritional value, so the plant must be grown as an ornamental plant.
In the absence of pruning, the shoots of Carthage become thinner and have an unsightly appearance
Achikanor
The variety is distinguished by rounded fruits of light carmine color. The rind is thin. The grains are juicy, fleshy, dark red in color. The taste is pleasant, sweet and sour with a slight astringency. Each fruit weighs about 300 g.
The pomegranate tree of this variety reaches 4-5 m in height. When growing, it is recommended to leave 4-5 skeletal branches.
Achikanor-based juice perfectly quenches thirst
Red pomegranate
Uzbek large-fruited variety, which is a variety of red pomegranates. The average fruit weight is 400 g. The rind is yellowish with a green tinge, of medium thickness. The kernels of Kizil-anor are of a dark red saturated shade, large. The juice obtained on the basis of this variety tastes sweet and sour. The sugar content of Kizil-anor is 15%, the acid content is not more than 1,85%. Fruit collection should be carried out at the end of October.
Important! The yield is high – up to 60 kg per adult plant.
Kizil-anor pomegranate has a juice yield of about 45%
Ak-Don
This species belongs to the category of early ripening, so the harvest can be harvested in the second half of September. The peel has a yellowish tint with red blotches. Large fruits of the variety are slightly flattened on the sides. The grains are dark pink. Taste with pronounced sourness.
The leaf plates are 5-7 cm long and have a deep dark green color. The tree does not exceed 4 m in height, but at the same time forms a wide crown. Harvesting should be done in the second half of October.
Ak-Don pomegranate is cultivated in the Crimean steppe and in the territory of Central Asia
Pink Gylisha
An Azerbaijani variety, a distinctive feature of which are rounded fruits with a pink hue of the peel. The grains turn dark red when ripe and are of medium size.
The pomegranate tree reaches a height of 3 m. The crown is spreading, small thorns are present on the shoots. The average weight of each fruit is 250 g.
Important! The fruit of the Güleisha pink variety does not tolerate transportation well, therefore it is not imported.
Duration of storage of fruits does not exceed four months
Guleisha red
Another Azerbaijani pomegranate variety, which is characterized by rounded fruits with a carmine-red peel. The average weight of each is 300-400 g.
The grains are large, juicy, fleshy. When ripe, they turn dark red. The taste of Gyuleisha red pomegranates is sweet and sour. The sugar content of the fruits is up to 16%, the acidity is about 1,8%.
Ripening in Gyuleisha red occurs at the end of October, storage duration is about three months
Nikitsky Early
This variety was bred in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden. Heat-loving species requiring shelter for the winter. Forms a medium-sized bush, the height of which does not exceed 2 m.
Important! Nikitsky early is distinguished by long flowering, while it forms male and female flowers.
The fruits are large, the peel is of medium thickness. The taste of pomegranates is sweet with a slight sourness.
Nikitsky early in characteristics is in many ways similar to an ordinary type of culture
Open pomegranate
This pomegranate variety is cultivated in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It is distinguished by large fruits, the mass of which reaches 300-400 g. The sugar content of the grains is 16%, the acidity level does not exceed 1,4%. Harvesting should be done in mid-October.
The fruit of this variety can be easily transported and stored well. Differs in high commercial qualities. The taste of the beans is sweet, but not cloying.
The yield of Achik-anar pomegranate is 40-50 kg per plant
Economic importance
Pomegranate is one of the most popular fruit plants of the population living in areas of the subtropical zone and some countries of the tropical zone of the globe.
The yield is 50-60 kg per tree. Pomegranate fruits are rich in sugars, tannins, vitamin C, fiber, minerals and trace elements: calcium, magnesium, potassium, manganese, sodium. Fruits give up to 60% juice with a high content of anthocyanins. The juice of cultivated varieties of pomegranate contains from 8 to 20% sugar (glucose and fructose), up to 10% citric, malic, oxalic and other organic acids, phytoncides, nitrogenous substances, tannin, sulfate, chloride and other salts. The pericarp, roots and bark contain up to 32% tannins. Pomegranate juice is useful for anemia, a decoction of the peel and membranous partitions – for burns and indigestion. The flesh of the seeds is reddish; it is used in desserts and salads, as well as for the preparation of soft drinks.
Sweet varieties of pomegranate
Important! The fruits acquire a sweet taste only when fully ripe.
Bala mursal
An Azerbaijani variety characterized by excellent taste. The pomegranate tree reaches a height of 3 m. The fruits are large, each weighing 400-500 g. The peel is thick, when ripe it acquires a dark crimson color.
The grains are fleshy, juicy, large. The bones are medium in size. Juice based on this variety of red pomegranate has a pleasant taste, sweet and sour. The sugar content of the fruits is 17%, the acid content is up to 1,5%. Maturation is amicable, in early October. The variety is cultivated in Azerbaijan.
The fruits of the Bala-myursal pomegranate are stored for up to four months without losing their presentation
Nar-Shirin
Iran is considered the birthplace of the variety. When ripe, the peel remains a pink-beige hue with green blotches. The grains are characterized by a perfectly round shape. Their color ranges from pale to deep pink.
Nar-Shirin is considered one of the sweetest varieties of pomegranate. The sugar content is about 18%, the acid level is 1,4%.
In terms of marketability, Nar-Shirin fruits are inferior to other types
Bedana
Indian variety of pomegranate. Forms medium-sized fruits. The culture is distinguished by tall shrubs with a luxurious crown. It prefers to grow in regions with hot, dry climates in summer and cool in winter.
Bedan’s pomegranate does not tolerate transportation well
A bushy variety of pomegranate, whose homeland is Iran. The plant reaches a height of 4 m. The flowering period begins in May and lasts until the end of summer.
When ripe, the fruits are pink with a green tint. The grains are juicy and sweet. The sugar content is 16%, the acid content does not exceed 1,5%.
Akhmar pomegranate grains are light pink in color, but very sweet
Dholka
The plant is wild and grows in India. This pomegranate variety is considered the sweetest in the world. The peel of the fruit is light in color with a pink blush. Dholka pomegranates are small in size and weigh about 180-220 g. The shade of the grains can vary from white to light pink. In its natural habitat, the height of the plant does not exceed 2 m.
The roots of the Dholka pomegranate variety are used to prepare a remedy for bruises and fractures, and the broth helps with dysentery.
Pomegranate, despite such a huge variety of varieties, still remains a purely thermophilic culture. But thanks to the efforts of breeders, some species have acquired an average level of frost resistance, and are able to withstand a short-term drop in temperature to -15 degrees. However, this is not enough to survive a long cold period.
Even for frost-resistant varieties of pomegranate, lowering the temperature to -17 degrees is critical. In this case, the entire aerial part of the plant first freezes up to the root collar, and then the roots die.
Pomegranate varieties with an average level of frost resistance:
- Guleisha is red;
- Ak-Don;
- Guleisha pink;
- Nikitsky is the earliest.
Important! A pomegranate tree, when sheltered for the winter, is able to survive in regions with a harsh climate, but at the same time it will not be able to fully bloom and produce a crop.
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Name
The origin of the generic name lat. Punica from the Latin word lat. punicus – Punic, Carthaginian, due to the widespread distribution of the plant in this country (modern Tunisia). ..
Garnet. Botanical illustration from the book by O. V. Tome
Flora of Germany, Austria and Switzerland
1885
The Russian name for pomegranates comes from Latin granatus
(grainy). In ancient Rome, this fruit had two Latin names –
pomegranate
и
malum granatum
… The first literally meant “Punic apple”; the Romans called the Punyans the Phoenicians who migrated from Asia Minor to North Africa in the XNUMXth-XNUMXth centuries BC. e. and founded a number of colonies there: Carthage, Utica, Leptis Magna and others. At that time, it was believed that the best pomegranates grow in Carthage. The second name, literally meaning “granular apple” – malum granatum, formed the basis for the names of this fruit in other languages: in German –
Pomegranate
(German Apfel – apple), Estonian –
grenadeõun
(Est. õun – apple) Italian –
pomegranate
(Italian mela – apple), Swedish –
Pomegranate
, Spanish –
Granada
, French –
Grenada
and English –
pomegranate
(from latin
apple
– fruit).
Keeping royal fruits
It is important to properly preserve the pomegranates so that all the useful substances remain in them and the taste does not deteriorate. There are several ways to store fruit:
- In the fruit and vegetable compartment in the refrigerator. In this way, you can store the fruits for a long time, but they must be intact and not have any damage. The average shelf life in this way is two months. Fruit should be checked periodically and spoiled should be selected.
- Freezing – allows you to preserve pomegranate seeds. To do this, they are freed from the skin and placed in a bag or plastic container, tightly closed and sent to the freezer.
- Storage in clay – guarantees the preservation of the fruit for a long time. Clay is diluted with water to the consistency of sour cream. The crown of the fruit should be poured with the resulting mixture. After the clay has set, the pomegranates are wrapped in parchment paper and carefully placed in storage containers. The boxes are placed in a dark, dry room with good ventilation and a cool temperature. In this way, you can store not fully ripe fruits, because they will “reach” by the time they are consumed.
Pomegranates can be included in the diet of almost anyone. It is only important to consider all contraindications. They will help strengthen the immune system and solve many health problems.
More information can be found in the video:
