Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ed Stover1
USDA/ARS, National Clonal Germplasm Repository, One Shields Avenue,
University of California, Davis, CA 95616
Eric W. Mercure
Paramount Farming Company, Bakersfield, CA
Additional index words. antioxidant, heterostyly, Punica granatum
In this paper, a broad overview is pro- HISTORY OF CULTIVATION are reported to originate as ‘‘fruit of para-
vided for the fruit known as the pomegranate dise,’’ which provides abundant demonstra-
(Punica granatum). The pomegranate has a The pomegranate is widely considered tion of its appreciation in these cultures. In
deep association with the cultures of the native in the region from Iran to northern India startling contrast, it was considered by the
Mediterranean region and Near East, where (e.g., Morton, 1987), with apparently wild Greeks to be the ‘‘fruit of the dead’’ and
it is savored as a delicacy and is an important plants in many forests of these areas. Others provided sustenance to the residents of Hades
dietary component, revered in symbolism, (e.g., Mars, 2000) suggest that it is native to (Lansky et al., 2000). These two considera-
and greatly appreciated for its medicinal the smaller area of Iran and vicinity, and was tions may demonstrate the amazing breadth
properties. It is strange that a horticultural spread by human movement to a much broader of the pomegranate’s potential consumer
icon of such importance has been largely area in prehistory. In India, the fruits of the base. The fruit’s unique flavors, with sweet-
relegated to an ornamental role in the United wild pomegranate have thicker rinds and ness often counterbalanced by acidity, makes
States and much of Europe. Recent trends extremely high acidity compared with culti- pomegranate easy to appreciate by most who
indicate that the health-giving and flavor- vated types (Bist et al., 1994). They are also try it. In addition to their use as a fresh fruit
filled properties of these fruits may soon reported to have much smaller arils (Kher, or fruit juice, the juice of the pomegranate
reverse this oversight. 1999). In Central Asia, the primary difference also contributes distinctive character to many
noted is the higher acidity in wild material mideastern dishes, such as the Iranian fes-
TAXONOMIC ODDITY AND NAMING (Kerimov, 1934). The pomegranate’s origin senjan. As a practical contributor to the diet,
in proximity to the ancient cultures of the these fruits were likely invaluable to early
Botanically, the pomegranate (P. grana- Mediterranean have provided a long, recorded desert travelers as an easily carried, well-
tum) is in the subclass Rosidae, order Myr- history for pomegranate. Indeed, some have protected form of water (Morton, 1987).
tales, which is home to a few other fruits such argued that the pomegranate is the ‘‘apple’’ of In Zoroastrianism, the pomegranate sym-
as the guava (Psidium sp.) and feijoa (Feijoa the biblical Garden of Eden, but this is bolizes both fecundity and immortality, and
sp.). However, pomegranate is unusual in disputed in a recent review (McDonald, 2002). is an emblem of prosperity (Panthaky, 2006).
being one of only two species in its genus, Pomegranate has been naturalized through- Pomegranate has long been associated with
Punica, which is the sole genus in the family out the Mediterranean region (California love and was one of the symbols of the love
Punicaceae (ITIS, 2006). Recent molecular Rare Fruit Growers, 1997). Edible pomegran- goddess Aphrodite (Encyclopedia Britann-
studies suggest a taxonomic reconsideration ates were cultivated in Persia (Iran) by 3000 ica, 2006a). In the biblical Song of Songs,
might place Punica within the Lythraceae BCE (Anarinco, 2006), and were also present Sheba ecstatically replies to Solomon’s blan-
(Graham et al., 2005). The second species in in Jericho in modern-day Israel. By 2000 BCE, dishments: ‘‘Let us get up early to the vine-
Punica, P. protopunica, is found only on the Phoenicians had established Mediterranean yards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether
island of Socotra, of the Arabian Peninsula, and Sea colonies in North Africa, bringing pom- the tender grape appear, and the pomegran-
is considered an ancestral species (Shilikina, egranates to modern-day Tunisia and Egypt. ates bud forth: there will I give thee my
1973) or an independent evolutionary path Around the same time, pomegranates become love.’’ Indeed Solomon describes Sheba as a
(Kosenko, 1985). naturalized in western Turkey and Greece. garden whose ‘‘plants are an orchard of pome-
The name Punica is the feminized Roman The pomegranate continued to be dis- granates’’ and says, ‘‘As a piece of a pome-
name for Carthage, the ancient city in north- persed around the globe, reaching China by granate are thy temples within thy locks.’’
ern Tunisia from which the best pomegran- 100 BCE (Anarinco, 2006). By 800 CE, the fruit Sheba then says she wants Solomon to drink
ates came to Italy. It was initially known as was spread throughout the Roman Empire, ‘‘the spiced wine of the juice of my pome-
Malum punicum, the apple of Carthage. But including Spain. At the same time, it was granate.’’ Pretty potent stuff!
Linneaus selected the current name, with the known to be extensively cultivated in Central It is easy to imagine that the seediness of
specific epithet granatum, meaning seedy or and southern India (Morton, 1987). By the the pomegranate encouraged association with
grainy. Its common name in the United early 1400s, the pomegranate had made its fertility. Perhaps this gave rise to the Greek
States, therefore, means ‘‘seedy apple’’ way to Indonesia (Morton, 1987). In the myth in which Persephone must spend 6
(Encyclopedia Britannica, 2006c). While 1500s and 1600s, the Spanish introduced this months in the underworld after Hades forced
considering naming, it is interesting to note species to Central America, Mexico, and her to eat six pomegranate seeds, but her re-
that the fruit’s name in French, grenade, South America (LaRue, 1980). The first clear turn is celebrated with the coming of spring.
provided the name for the weapon because evidence that the pomegranate was in the A bit more mysterious is the rationale for
of similarities in appearance (Encyclopedia area to become the United States was in the Hebrew priests wearing vestments adorned
Britannica, 2006b). early 1700s, when they were grown in with pomegranates (Exodus 28:31), or the
Spanish Florida and English Georgia. By 480 BCE attempt by King Xerxes to capture
1770, the pomegranate made its way to the Greece with an army carrying spears adorned
We acknowledge Matt Quist and Jason Haught,
West Coast and was growing in the with pomegranates.
Paramount Farming Company; Zeev Wiesman, missions of California (Morton, 1987; Seelig,
Institutes for Applied Research, Ben Gurion Uni- 1970).
versity of the Negev, Beer Sheva, Israel; Claudia HORTICULTURE
Botti, Department of Agronomy, University of APPRECIATION AND SYMBOLISM
Santiago, Chile; and Londhe Santosh Dinkar and The plant. The pomegranate plant inher-
Dr. R.B. Sawant, College of Agriculture, Shivaji Both the Arabic name for pomegranate ently develops numerous trunks. In orchards,
University, Kolhapur, India. (rumman) and the Hebrew name (rimmon) plants are normally trained to a single trunk,
refrigerated produce section of supermarkets preference of some consumers for cultivars Adams, L.S., N.P. Seeram, B.B. Aggarwal, Y.
and has displayed considerable sales growth. with less acid or softer seeds is also compel- Takada, D. Sand, and D. Heber. 2006. Pome-
Numerous techniques are being explored to ling consideration of more diverse cultivars, granate juice, total pomegranate ellagitannins,
enhance postharvest life and quality of fresh which should broaden consumer interest. and punicalagin suppress inflammatory cell
pomegranate (Artés and Tomás-Barberán, When these ‘‘wonderful’’ properties are com- signaling in colon cancer cells. J. Agr. Food
2000). Consumer reluctance to open and eat bined with a Food and Drug Administration Chem. 54:980–985.
Amoros, A., P. Melgarejo, J.J. Martinez, F.
intact fruits, which some suggest is best ‘‘best label as a ‘‘love potion’’ and the prophet’s
Hernández, and M. Martinez. 2000. Charac-
performed naked, outdoors or in the bathtub’’ prescription for curing ‘‘hatred and envy,’’ it
terization of the fruit of five pomegranate
(Karp, 2006), has encouraged development may be impossible to keep up with the (Punica granatum L.) clones cultivated in
of methods to blow out arils and package demand for this amazing fruit. homogeneous soils. Options Méditerrané-
these beautiful jewels as a minimally pro- ennes Ser. A 42:129–135.
cessed fresh product (Sepulveda et al., 2000). Anarinco. 2006. Pomegranate history. 1 Sept.
Literature Cited
These will soon find their way to market and 2006. <www.anarainco.com/history.htm>.
will likely be eaten as snacks and used as Adams, F. 1849. Genuine works of Hippocrates. Artés, F. and F.A. Tomás-Barberán. 2000. Post-
garnishes in salads and savory dishes. The William Wood and Co., New York. harvest technological treatments of pomegranate