Pomegranate



**Plant Name: Pomegranate**

**Scientific Name:** ** //Punica granatum// ** **Domestication**: __Uses-__
 * 3500-2000 BC- Based on the excavations of the Early Bronze Age, it's believed that the pomegranate was one of the first cultivated fruits. Most scholars support the belief that the pomegranate was native to Iran (Persia at the time) and the Himalayas in Northern India, then cultivated over the whole Mediterranean region of Asia, Africa and Europe, migrating as far east as China where it has been cultivated since the pre-Christian era.
 * The seeds can be eaten by themselves and has many other culinary uses
 * 1600 BC- The pomegranate was valued in Egypt as a food source and were part of the supply of fruits recquired in a Pharaoh's residence. Ancient Egyptians used this fruit in a variety of ways: The juice was believed to fight intestinal worms while the pomegranate ﻿ ﻿ blosson wad ﻿﻿ crushed to make a red dye and the peel weas used for dyeing leather. The pomegranate become so respected that representations of it were found on Egyptian wall.
 * The rind of the fruit and the bark of the pomegranate tree is used as a traditional remedy against diarrhea, dysentery and intestinal parasites.
 * Pomegranate aril juice provides about 16% of an adult's daily vitamin C requirement per 100 ml serving, and is a good source of vitamin B5 (pantothenic acid), potassium and polyphenols, such as tannins and flavonoids.
 * Juice of the pomegranate may be effective in reducing heart disease risk factors, including LDL oxidation, macrophage oxidative status, and foam cell formation

**Pomegranate, arils only**~ Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)~
 * ~ Energy || 346 kJ (83 kcal) ||
 * ~ Carbohydrates || 18.7 g ||
 * ~ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">- <span class="wiki_link_ext">Sugars || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">13.7 g ||
 * ~ <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">- <span class="wiki_link_ext">Dietary fiber || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">4.0 g ||
 * ~ <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Fat || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">1.2 g ||
 * ~ <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Protein || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">1.7 g ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Thiamine (Vit. B1) || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">0.07 mg (5%) ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Riboflavin (Vit. B2) || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">0.05 mg (3%) ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Niacin (Vit. B3) || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">0.29 mg (2%) ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;"><span class="wiki_link_ext">Pantothenic acid (B5) || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">0.38 mg (8%) ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Vitamin B6 || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">0.08 mg (6%) ||
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;"><span class="wiki_link_ext">Folate (Vit. B9) || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">38 μg (10%) ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Vitamin C || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">10 mg (17%) ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Calcium || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">10 mg (1%) ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Iron || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">0.30 mg (2%) ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Magnesium || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">12 mg (3%) ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Phosphorus || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">36 mg (5%) ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Potassium || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">236 mg (5%) ||
 * <span class="wiki_link_ext" style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Zinc || <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">0.35 mg (3%) ||

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">**Biology:** <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">__Type of plant__-
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Perennial
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">It is in season from March to May but in the United States and Canada, the season of the pomegranate is from October through January.

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">__What part of the plant do we use?__ <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">__Life Cycle__- <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">The seeds (Arils) and the leathery covering

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">__Cultural Requirements__-
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Thrives on calcareous, alkaline soil and on deep,acidic loam and a wide variety of soils in between extremes
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">The plant favors a semi-arid climate and is extremely drought-tolerant
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">The pomegranate plant is naturally adapted to regions with cool winters and hot summers but certain types are grown in home dooryards in tropical areas such as islands of the bahamas and the west indies

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">__ Does it have a relationship with specific insects (pests or partners) that could impact its success? __
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">The pomegranate has a butterfly named //**Virachola isocrates**// that lays eggs on the flower buds and the calyx of developing fruits. When the caterpillars are grown they enter the fruit by way of the calyx
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Discoloration of fruits and seeds results from infestation by **//Aspergillus castaneus//**
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">//**Pleuroplaconema**// or //**Ceuthospora phyllosticta**// gets into the twigs and drills holes right through the branches

<span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">__ How has the plant evolved to be of importance to humans? __
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">AD 1598-King Henry IV of France used pomegranates as his heraldic badge with the motto "Sour, Yet Sweet",which compared the nature of the fruit with his belief that a kind should temper severity with mildness to represent his reign.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">500 BC- Pomegranates figured notably in Greek myths
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">The most famous involved Persephone who was the daughter of Zeus and Demeter, and was abducted by Hades, Lord of the Underworld. Once there Hades had given her a pomegranate and by eating the arils she was joined to him as the pomegranate was a symbol of indissolubility of marriage. Devastated at the loss of her daughter, Demeter, the corn goddess, prevented the earth from bearing fruit unless she saw her daughter again. Zeus arranged a compromise: Persephone would live with Hades for one third of the year and the other two thirds with Demeter. Persephone’s return from the Underworld each year is marked by the arrival of spring.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">2000 BC- King Solomon grew an orchard of pomegranates for the children of Israel and centuries late, some prophets observed that by eating these fruits, the feelings of envy and hatred gets purges out.
 * <span style="color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">1552 BC- The use of pomegranate in medicine can be traced back to 1552 BC. The ancient Egyptian papyrus holds record of pomegranate being used for healing purposes. Apparently, Greek healers used pomegranate to cure variety of diseases. These include arthritis, circulatory disorders, digestive problems and infections.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">Resources:
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">http://www.foodreference.com/html/a-pomegranate-history.html
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pomegranate
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">http://www.xomba.com/fun_facts_about_pomegranates
 * <span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 110%;">http://www.buzzle.com/articles/pomegranate-benefits-for-skin.html