What does a pomegranate flower look like and how to care for a houseplant during flowering and fruiting

Anyone who has seen a pomegranate tree bloom will never forget this mesmerizing sight. Spreading shrubs, tall trees and dwarf indoor plants look equally beautiful during this period. Let's look at how and when the pomegranate tree blooms, and how to properly care for it at this stage.

How pomegranate blooms

Pomegranate is a bisexual plant, so it produces both male and female flowers. From the moment the flower forms until it disappears, only 3–5 days pass, after which new ovaries appear. Thus, the flowering of the pomegranate does not stop, and the tree is always covered with flowers. Budding and fruit appearance occur almost simultaneously, so in summer the tree is pleasing to the eye.

The palette of pomegranate flowers is presented in 3 shades: scarlet, crimson and yellow-white. The play of rich tones creates a luxurious multicolor. Variegated flowers are found on some trees. Their shape is so diverse that it is not always possible to determine their identity.

There are 3 types of wild pomegranate flowers:

• bisexual, pitcher-shaped, producing fruit ovaries;
• bell-shaped, not producing fruit ovaries;
• intermediate forms.

Female buds have a wide base and look like a fleshy tube with jagged edges, which remains on the ripe fruit in the form of a small “crown”. The pistils are long and located at the level of the anthers. Female flowers appear on last year's shoots.Multilocular ovaries are formed from fused carpels. Their edges bend inward and form nests or chambers. In ripe fruits, these chambers are delimited from each other by a white film and filled with grains.

Male buds short-pistillate and cone-shaped, resembling bells. The pistil is short, located below the anthers. Flowers form on the shoots of the current season, are completely sterile, and fall off after flowering. The ratio of female and male buds on one tree depends on the variety, growing conditions and agricultural technology.

Intermediate flower forms difficult to determine. They have the shape of a bell, cylinder or jug. The length of the pistil varies from short to long. Flowers with long pistils do not always produce fruit ovaries. In rare cases, when the fruit does form, it has an irregular shape.

When does indoor pomegranate bloom?

An indoor pomegranate planted with a seed enters the flowering phase after 3-4 years, and with a cutting - after 2-3 years. Abnormally early flowering occurs, when 1-2 buds appear on the tree, but they do not produce fruit ovaries and quickly fall off.

When does pomegranate bloom at home? This happens twice: in April–May and early August. An indoor tree continuously blooms with luxurious buds just like a wild one. Budding, flowering and the appearance of fruit ovaries is a never-ending process. The tree with dense buds, bright flowers and crowned fruits looks fabulous.

Care during flowering and fruiting of indoor pomegranate

Indoor pomegranate is easy to care for, but the agricultural technology of the crop is subject to certain rules that make it possible to achieve abundant flowering.

Lighting

One of the main conditions for long-term flowering of indoor pomegranate is a sufficient level of illumination. In summer, the pot with the tree is taken out onto the balcony or into the garden. An adult plant prefers to bathe in sunlight and feels great in the fresh air. Young seedlings are gradually accustomed to the street: they are taken out into the sun for 2-3 hours in the morning, and brought back or shaded at lunchtime. This helps prevent sunburn on young foliage.

When placing pots indoors, choose window sills on the south side of the house. At midday, plants are shaded with curtains or blinds.

Reference. If there is a lack of sunlight, it is recommended to supplement the pomegranate with phytolamps.

In winter, when there is a lack of natural light, the tree partially sheds its leaves. However, organizing illumination with a phytolamp and creating daylight hours of at least 12 hours promote flowering and fruiting.

Room temperature

Pomegranate loves warmth and grows in its natural environment at high temperatures. Indoor plants are content with a moderate temperature of +25...+30°C during the period of active growth.

When the air temperature in the room rises, it is recommended to move the tree to a cool room. In summer, pomegranate is taken out onto the balcony or veranda, and in spring it is sprayed with cool water. In a hot room, the plant sheds its leaves and buds and slows down its development. It is recommended to ventilate the room more often to improve air circulation.

The culture does not like low temperatures and dies even in mild frost. When the ambient temperature on the balcony or veranda reaches +15°C, the pot is brought into the room.

Watering

Pomegranate prefers moderate watering, so it is moistened after the top layer of soil has dried.To do this, use soft, settled water at room temperature.

In winter, during the dormant period, an adult plant is removed in partial shade and watered once a month, a young plant - once a week. The frequency of watering is increased from February, after the flower is returned to the light windowsill. The soil is completely saturated with moisture to activate the life processes of the plant.

Reference. Before flowering, pomegranates are watered abundantly; during the budding period - from May to September - the frequency of watering is reduced, but the moisture level of the top layer of soil is monitored.

In autumn, fruits begin to form, so the tree is watered carefully, since waterlogging leads to their cracking.

Air humidity

The optimal air humidity for indoor pomegranate is 60–70%. At lower rates, it is recommended to spray the plant and the air around it with cool water. In winter, in the room where the flower pot is located, you can place an air humidifier or a container of cold water, wet clean the room and wipe the leaves with a wet cloth.

High humidity, like low humidity, has a negative effect on pomegranate. To normalize it, it is recommended to ventilate the room more often.

The soil

In wild nature pomegranate grows on poor soils in arid regions. However, nutrient soil is used to grow indoor specimens. It should be loose, moist and breathable, with a neutral pH=7. Ready-made soil is suitable for begonias and roses. A thick layer of expanded clay or river pebbles is placed at the bottom of the pot.

Top dressing

Indoor pomegranate is fed with nitrogen-phosphorus fertilizers until the end of spring. During this period, buds are laid and the plant prepares for lush flowering. Feeding applied once every 2 weeks. Closer to autumn they switch to potassium supplements.For foliar feeding, a Humisol solution is used.

Fertilizer recipes:

• mullein solution - 1:15;
• chicken manure solution - 1:25;
• 1 tsp. wood ash per 1 liter of water;
• biohumus (vermicompost) - 250 ml per 10 liters of water;
• 1.2 g of superphosphate and 0.5 g of potassium per 1 liter of water.

Fertilizers are applied exclusively to moist soil on the second day after watering, in the morning or evening, so that the roots do not get burned. In cloudy weather, fertilizing can be applied during the day.

If indoor pomegranate is grown for its fruits, fertilizers are applied carefully. To do this, use organics instead of minerals so that nitrates do not accumulate in the fruits. It is important to observe the dosage, since a grant overfed with nitrogen does not bloom or bear fruit.

Trimming

Trimming indoor pomegranate has a positive effect on decorativeness, flowering and fruiting. Given the crop’s tendency to grow rapidly, without pruning it will double in volume per season, and numerous thin shoots chaotically form the crown. To give the tree a neat and compact appearance, gardeners prune it several times a year.

The first procedure is performed at the beginning of the growing season. After the winter dormant period, the tree is taken out to a bright place and dry branches and some of the small shoots are cut off.

To stimulate branching, young shoots are pruned above the bud facing outward, leaving 4-5 internodes. No more than 6 skeletal strong branches are left on the tree.

Important! Buds are formed exclusively on developed annual shoots.

Indoor pomegranate It is allowed to grow as a bush with 3–5 skeletal branches. However, if you cut off the root shoots, a tree will emerge with a low trunk and 4-5 skeletal branches.As the plant develops, 4-5 shoots of the second order are laid on each skeletal branch, then branches of the third order are formed on them. Excess and old shoots are removed - there will be no more harvest on them.

In summer, during the period of active growth, branches that grow inside the crown or stretch out are cut off. Pomegranate tolerates this procedure without loss. After flowering, if there are no fruits on the tree, another pruning is performed: thin branches are removed and the crown is thinned out inside.

Why doesn't pomegranate bloom at home?

Among the common reasons for the lack of flowers on a pomegranate tree are the following:

1. Age under 3 years. Young plants have not yet accumulated enough nutrients to flower.
2. Not a season. The plant has entered a period of winter dormancy and therefore does not produce flowers.
3. No trimming. In January, before the leaves bloom, it is recommended to cut off most of the branches and root shoots and shorten the growing shoots.
4. Failure to comply with watering rules. In summer, the plant needs watering every other day or every day, depending on air humidity. In September, irrigation is reduced to 2 times a week, by November - 1 time a week.
5. Soil poor in nutrients. Indoor pomegranate is planted in soddy-podzolic soil and water does not stagnate in the pot.
6. The pot is too narrow. For growing pomegranate at home, a wide and shallow container is best suited.
7. No rest period. In nature, the tree begins to shed its leaves and stops growing until the end of February. Such a respite is required to maintain the vitality of the plant. For indoor pomegranate, 3-4 weeks of rest at a temperature of +12°C is enough to resume flowering.
8. Infection with fungi, bacteria and insects. Indoor pomegranate most often suffers from gray rot, powdery mildew, and cancer of branches and roots. The plant is attacked by aphids and spider mites. As a result of infection, the pomegranate weakens, all the forces are spent on resisting pests and diseases, and they are no longer enough for flowering. To kill insects, use any insecticides (“Aktellik”, “Fitoverm”). To combat infectious diseases, fungicides and folk remedies based on onion peels, crushed coal, potassium permanganate and laundry soap are used.

Why are there only male flowers on pomegranates? The ornamental plant produces predominantly short-columnar male flowers. If fruits appear from them, they will be inedible.

How to improve flowering

Homemade pomegranate enters the flowering period when it reaches a height of 50–70 cm. A tree grown from a seed blooms for 4–7 years, since it needs to adapt to indoor conditions.

To obtain a flowering plant, it is recommended to grow pomegranate from the seed, allow it to rest in the winter and follow agricultural practices. After emerging from the dormant period, in March, they begin to form a crown and pinch out the branches. At the beginning of summer, the first buds will appear on the tree.

Trees older than 4 years are replanted before flowering into a substrate with the addition of horn shavings and bone meal. Mature trees that have already bloomed are moved to more fertile soil to maintain flowering. The substrate is prepared from clay turf soil, compost, leaf soil and sand in a ratio of 3:2:1:1. Manure is placed at the bottom of the pot for drainage. The plant is placed in partial shade and optimal soil and air humidity is maintained.

Important! Regular replanting promotes abundant and long-lasting flowering.Young shoots are replanted every year in fertile soil, trees older than 4 years - once every 3 years, large plants - once every 5 years.

Once every six months, the top layer of soil is replaced with leaf humus mixed with chicken droppings. Every 5 years, the pomegranate is renewed by removing old branches.

To maintain flowering, additional pollination is recommended. Pollen from female flowers is carefully collected with a cotton swab and transferred to male flowers. A small number of buds or their complete absence indicates that the plant has outlived its varietal characteristics. In this case, grafting branches from a flowering pomegranate will help.

Feeding with castor oil (1 tsp per 1 liter of water) will help improve flowering. The resulting solution is watered over the tree during the formation of buds.

Conclusion

Wild pomegranate is a tree with male and female flowers. Indoor specimens often contain only male flowers, which rarely bear fruit.

Blooming pomegranate looks attractive regardless of where it is grown. At home, it is easy to maintain abundant flowering if agricultural practices are followed. An indoor plant needs regular watering, sufficient lighting, maintaining air humidity, a dormant period and pruning.