I have just built a fence around our deer-plagued country property for the express purpose of growing a variety of fruit trees without feeding the ever-present herd. Many people scoffed at the idea of our fence. Most said it wasn't tall enough to make any difference: hungry deer, they said, would simply jump over it and continue to savagely scavenge my plants.

Others, upon seeing the final product, thought perhaps a new prison was being built in the neighborhood. Jail aesthetic or not, it does seem to have had an off-putting effect on the deer, as two previously munched Hollyhock (Alcea rosa) plants have actually grown since the fence went up the first week of February. They were previously a favorite food of the neighborhood thugs and never had more than a few leaves at a time. The deer seem to have disappeared completely from the large open field behind us, probably having moved across the street where they can be more free-range. They are likely waiting for me to plant a lot more plants so they can make the jump over the fence worthwhile.

The construction of the fence coincided with the arrival of bare-root trees at Costco. What choice did I have? The price was right and the varieties seemed not entirely inappropriate for my growing zone. I was somewhat concerned about those chilling requirements, so chose the trees with the least number of chilling hours. Trying only to buy what I could plant promptly, I selected a Blenheim apricot and two multi-stemmed examples of pomegranate, Wonderful variety. Wonderful is the most commonly-grown commercial variety of the pomegranate. It seems that Pomegranate is both common and botanical name for this edible variety. The ornamental varieties are referred to as Punica granatum, according to Sunset. Even though I planted the edible plant, Pomegranate, I value them for their ornamental value more than their enviable nutritional content. I do hope eventually to be able to make pomegranate jelly, which I remember as a very old-fashioned Christmas gift, but that will likely be some years out. I love the way the plants look in the garden, and the decorative value of the fruit in holiday arrangements.

Furthermore, I appreciate the fact that they are associated with early California history. Pomegranates originated with the ”most ancient civilization the Middle East”, and spread throughout the Mediterranean region, wrote James H. La Rue, late Tulare County Farm Advisor and author of “Growing Pomegranates in California”, DANR Publication Leaflet 2459, reprinted in 1980. The Spaniards brought the fruit to the New World before the 1600's. They eventually were distributed northward by the Spanish missionaries, and some mission lore theorizes that there could still be pomegranates which have descended from the originals planted by the Padres.

I am hopeful that this plant lives up to its adaptable billing: it is said to be long-lived, accepting of less-than perfect soils, hot, dry summers, and eventual drought-tolerance. With some patience, perhaps there will even be fruit to adorn future Master Gardener workshop wreaths.

 DANR Publication Leaflet 2459 
Reprinted July 1980 
The author is the late James H. LaRue, Farm Advisor, Tulare County

http://ucce.ucdavis.edu/rics/fnric2/crops/pomegranate_factsheet.shtml#d