Pomegranate (Punica granatum) KAJ-ACIK-ANOR

Very rare Uzbek-Tajik pomegranate variety. Valuable for its frost resistance, high productivity, long shelf life and very large sweet fruits. It was one of the most successful “Russian” varieties in the Ponder Farm experimental cultivation conducted by the University of Georgia in the 1970s.

Vigour: moderate, grows to a height of 3 - 3.5 meters. Forms an upright, compact, naturally rounded deciduous shrub. It can be grown as a shrub or an attractive small tree after removing the lower branches. Lives to old age, even several centuries. In wine-growing regions, we recommend planting the pomegranate tree in open ground. Can also be grown as a container plant in a large pot.
Site requirements: the ideal site for pomegranates is a sheltered sunny spot in the garden or patio. It requires permeable, well-drained soil and only moderate irrigation. The recommended planting distance is 4 meters.
Blossom: bright orange flowers bloom gradually from mid-May throughout the summer. The variety is self-pollinating.
Fruits: very large, 300 - 400 g, round. Yellow-orange to pink-red skin, seeds dark red, medium-sized, soft. The fruit is very sweet with a sugar content of up to 20% in the juice and is ideal for juicing.
Juice: red, sweet, with a nice acid balance
Harvest season: depending on the location and climatic conditions, the fruits gradually ripen during October. They can be stored for up to 6 months.
Yield: very high. A mature tree can produce up to 30 kg of fruit under optimal conditions. Yield onset in the 3rd - 4th year after planting.
Disease resistance: pomegranate shrubs are one of the easier fruits to work with since they are not usually affected by pests or diseases. Suitable for organic or no-spray culture.
Frost resistance: it can withstand frosts down to -20°C. We recommend providing winter protection to young plants, for example an 8-10 cm layer of mulch, which will help protect the roots during winter.
Usage: juicy pomegranate seeds are consumed fresh, used to press the juice as well as to make the wine called Grenada. Pomegranate concentrate is used as an ingredient in salad dressings. Boiling pomegranate juice with sugar creates grenadine syrup, which is used as an ingredient in cocktails. In terms of taste, the pomegranate combines sweetness and acidity in an exotic way. That's why pomegranate seeds are ideal for refining desserts, meat and vegetarian dishes.

Pomegranates are not grafted onto a rootstock, but are grown on their own roots, so if the above-ground part of the plant is damaged during the winter, the roots remain undamaged and in the spring the pomegranate sprouts new shoots.