The pomegranate flower is a beautiful offspring of its tree. Known for its bright red attributes, they are a smallish shrub that grows just about 16 to 33 ft high. With a diameter of about 1.2 in, this tree is native to the surroundings of Persia, present-day Iran. The tree thrives in summer and warmer climates including in India, parts of Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Mediterranean basin. Spanish America, California, and a handful of other places also have a thriving population.
Punica granatum, as called binomially, is a deciduous shrub. It belongs to the family of Lythraceae. The flower is most famous for its fruit, which is used in many dishes. Owners enjoy the best of its fruits and the beauty of the flowers. If you wish to have these evergreen plants, let this article walk you through it:
* The Appearance and Its Varieties.
* Flowering Season and Growth Needs.
* Ancient Uses, Symbols, and Culinary Additions.
* Causes of Poor Flower Blooming or Rapid Falling.
* Pest and Diseases Affecting It and remedies.
The Appearance and Its Varieties
The tree produces a male and female species, with the female species dependent on the male for pollination. Both flowers have a range of three to five petals, which are in bright orange or red color. There is also a rare color variation of pink. The edges would either come in a plain form, with ruffles or a bit of white. For each flowering tree, there is a slight, lovely fragrance.
Flowering Season and Growth Needs
The pomegranate tree is an easy plant to grow and nurture. This makes it a perfect addition to every garden. Although it does not grow well in cold seasons, it thrives well in the warmer seasons. The plant has minimal growing needs. Adapted mostly to dry soil, this plant grows in all soil types except that of clay. As long as the soil can drain well, then this plant is certain of survival.
The origin of the tree is one with poor soil and little nutrients, so this plant does not require intensive care and fertilization. With a unique drought resistance feature, this plant needs very little water supply. Once a week is all it needs to keep it alive.
In many areas, this plant has its blooming season around September and later. But there have been records of earlier blooming seasons around March in the Southern Hemisphere.
Ancient Uses, Symbols, and Culinary Additions
Known as a luxury good in China, the pomegranate flower dates to the 5th millennium BC. It is also mentioned in an ancient Indian medical treatment as a necessary ingredient. Recently, there have been speculations that its health benefit also includes prevention from heart-related sicknesses. In many culinary recipes, the boiling and straining of the flower have resulted in a healthy and refreshing tea.
Causes of Poor Flower Blooming or Rapid Falling
The pomegranate is a plant that can bloom a lot, and with the right care and pruning, you can have a beautiful tree. The pomegranate tree is tough and has withstood several attacks from the environment and others. If you experience the opposite of this, then there can only be a handful of issues affecting your tree.
The first problem to keep in mind with pomegranate trees is their flower gender. Unlike many plants, this tree produces both male and female flowers together. A male flower falls naturally with time, so if you have mostly male flowers, you should expect this loss. Also, a female flower falls when there has been no pollination from a male flower. This can be a problem if your tree is not producing enough of the male flower. You get to savor the flowers for longer only when they are fertilized, meaning fruit production.
The environment is another factor for flower loss. The pomegranate tree does not grow well in cold climates. When there is a shift in temperature, then you can lose flowers. A solution to this is to move them out of the open-air if you are growing them in a pot. Or otherwise grow your pomegranate in a greenhouse.
The next factor is biological. The pomegranate tree takes about three years to mature enough to bear fruits. Until that time, every flower in your tree given time falls off. This should not be a reason for alarm, and regular care automatically results in a healthy plant.
Pest and Diseases of Pomegranate Flower
A significant problem for the pomegranate flower is that of pests and diseases, known to render many trees to ruin. Many of them are not a regular occurrence, but knowing how to care for them is a necessity for all owners.
Here are a few of the known ones and how best to handle them.
Cercospora Fruit Spot: This is a fungal attack on the leaves that gives spots of light brown color. It also creates large patches that are most times black on the fruits. Poor care can quickly lead to the death of your plant. It is a prominent attack during heavy rainfall and soils with lots of water. For maintenance and treatment, begin by taking out infected fruits, twigs, leaves, and branches. In extreme cases, turn to fungicides for control.
Heart Rot: Has less visible symptoms. The affected fruit, though, can be lighter than the rest in weight and maybe paler, but certainty only comes when the inside of the fruit is rotten. Caused by fungi, there is no solution for control.
Aphids: This is an insect infestation that leaves the tree weak and stunted. Symptoms come in rots and mold on fruits. Affected plants transmit the insects. For control, clean up the surrounding of the plant and take away parts that have shown a sign. You can also use water at a high force to wash the plant free, and in extreme cases, an insecticide is advised.
Others include;
* Leaf-footed plant bugs.
* Mealybug.
* Omnivorous leafroller.
* Pomegranate fruit borer.