Dwarf Pomegranate – Perfect Ornamental Plant or Shrub
The Dwarf pomegranate is the perfect choice for a backyard gardener who wants both an ornamental plant and fruit. Blooms in the spring are a gorgeous coral-red color, making this variety of pomegranate the ideal decorative accent for any landscape. Those colorful blooms are famous for attracting hummingbirds too!
About Dwarf pomegranate
Like many other varieties of pomegranate bush, it is hardy enough to withstand cold temperatures (down to 40 degrees Fahrenheit ideally), so it can be grown in many areas of the country. First discovered in 1803, the Punica granatum ‘Nana’ has always been a short plant, so it was called ‘dwarf’. The plant itself will generate from 2-4 feet of growth in height, but mostly it grows outward, making this variety more of a bush than a tree. The Dwarf pomegranate bush can be pruned to stay around 1 foot in height if so desired (spring). Some people choose this particular variety of pomegranate because even the fruit is smaller than a typical pomegranate fruit (dwarfed too).
Note that the Dwarf variety is not for producing fruit to eat – only for ornamental purposes. The fruit is so small that inside the fruit, it is pretty much only pulp. Now and then you may get lucky enough to get a few arils that could be eaten fresh or tossed onto a salad.
Where Can They Grow?
There are several zones in the United States in which this variety will thrive. If you live in the following USDA Zones, you can plant a Dwarf and most likely enjoy the sight of miniature fruit come fall. However, if you are planting this variety for simply ornamental purposes, it could do well in a few other zones as well (ones with chilly autumns and winters).
USDA Zone 7B, 8A, 8B, 9A, 9B, 10A, 10B, and Zone 11
Taking care to plant them in climates that experience year-round temperatures no lower than 40 degrees Fahrenheit, you’re literally guaranteed to get fall fruit. However, in other zones where the temperatures can fall below that point, it’s a wise choice to plant the bush next to a house or in an area that is protected from the harsher elements such as high winds.
Fertilizing this variety of pomegranate bush is not truly necessary, but if you feel the soil needs a bit of help, use a slow-release fertilizer once in the spring after planting to ensure the best results.
Ideal Conditions for the Dwarf Pomegranate
- You’ll want to space your plants at least 36 inches apart and can space them up to 48 inches apart ideally.
- They’ll do best in locations that receive full sun, but can also do well in a location that gets mostly sun and some partial shade through the day.
- If you have a lot of deer in your area, this plant seems to be resistant to deer (won’t eat them like other plants)
- Can tolerate drought
The leaves are a beautiful green and will provide a lovely landscape accent for you once the flowers have bloomed and disappeared. Some gardeners use this plant as shrubbery, along the front of a house or even lining the front of a garden. Given its bush-like shape, it can even be pruned into the shape of a square if you enjoy a more manicured appearance.
Read enough about dwarf pomegranate and want to discover more about the pomegranate tree?
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