I just planted a Russian 26 and an Angel Red pomagranite in the fall in Northern Virginia. After this very cold winter, I am not sure they have survived. I will let you know in a few weeks.

I have many poms. I was checking them yesterday and only Angel Red took a lot of damage. That one is not known hardy; all the other ones I have are known hardy ones. The final verdict for this last winter won't be in for another month or so. Click on my GW page to see my varieties list.

Scott

i've had angel red and wonderful unprotected in ground two winters, both freeze to ground around zero. Protected they are fine, but there is still the problem of getting the fruit to mature in time. Hardy varieties are not necessarily early maturing and vice versa. My newest strategy to get fruit is to provide protection and use only earliest maturing varieties. I won't waste my time with cold hardy varieties if they are not early ripening in my marginal zone...

I have Salavatski and Nikitski Ranni. They are both just going into their second growing season, so no fruit yet. The Ranni seems the most cold hardy. Our lowest here was -3 and it got near zero or lower at least three times this winter. No die back at all on the Ranni. I wrapped them with chicken wire then stuff hay around them for insulation.

The zone map only concerns itself with temperatures, and fruit production has a few more variables, like light levels and the difference between nighttime lows and daytime highs. So I would look for people growing pom's in a similar latitude. I have trouble getting some tropicals to bear good fruit this far north and I am only in NC - all because they need near constant light levels, they don't know what to do with long summer days. In the tropics the days and nights are pretty constant at 12 hours each.

Angel Red and Wonderful have failed for me in mild winter years. The only reliable pomegranite in my garden is a local variety called 'Compacta'. The fruit a very sour but it fruits a lot and has no problems with cold.

Growing hardy varieties as well. Will let you know what survives. Think the temps dipped to -5F - 0F this year. In the 3rd year now for a few of them, rest are less than 2-3ft tall. Think Salevatski or KajacikAnor fruited for my friend I gave a plant to, but none of mine yet. Btw my 1st year, they all go in the small outdoor shed to protect the 1st year wood. any days/nights under 20F, and I turn the light on overnight to protect it. been working every year and has good strong wood for the 2nd season.

Anyone have 'Shirin Pust Ghermez Saveh'?
Think thats the only Iranian one I still need.

This post was edited by armyofda12mnkeys on Wed, Mar 12, 14 at 20:24

Cindy @ GreenSeaFarms has most of the varieties for a good price. Unfortunately they lost lots of plants this year and dont have that Shirin variety i wanted. "With all the rain we had last summer I lost 1000's of potted plants." wowie, 1000's

Have had pomegranates growing here in high desert zone 7 (new Mexico) for over 50 years; were among the first to be grown here back then but see them quite frequently now in yards. Every few years (2012 for one) we get temps that freeze the bushes to the ground, then they grow back up the next year (2013) & this year 2014 they seem to have survived our very mild winter so hope to see lots of blossoms & fruits this year!! BTW: they are all 'Wonderful'.

Never had a bit of other problems with them.

Thanks everyone for all the info. I may just give them all a try and see what happens.

TriangleJohn,

What other varieties have you tried? Also where did you get 'Compacta'. Sounds very interesting would like to give it a try sour or not.

Thanks,
JJD

Things are definitely different here out West. Elevation takes precedence over latitude, and all pomegranates seem to take colder temps than back East. There are lots of bushes in zone 7 NM that only die back in the coldest winters. The varieties Russian and Wonderful have been said to perform the same in Albuquerque, NM.

I say why put so much energy into finding varieties that end up giving you just a few extra degrees of hardiness? If you are in a marginal zone you will probably need to protect anyway, and you will almost surely need early ripening varieties to get good fruit. If you are anywhere with a long growing season, just go with 'Wonderful': it is a great variety and cheap and easy to obtain.

I don't think its just a couple degrees. I have on average lost about half my Angel Red each winter and I doubt it will ever give me useful fruit. All the "hardy" ones have been good for me down to 3-4F.

I do agree that early ripening is also a big factor; its the reason why I put in Angel Red to begin with. Its also one reason why I never planted a Wonderful.

Scott

I have wondered (now that we are talking 'pomes!) why the bushes put on new flowers over a long period, yet the fruit all seem to ripen at the same time in the fall?

Just curious!

Scott: You're probably right that there is a more than a few degrees between the very hardiest and the least hardy varieties. Angel Red may indeed be more towards the least hardy side of things, and it may also be especially intolerant of cold/wet winters... I've heard that the ornamental variety 'Nana' would probably be killed by temps below 20.

But it still seems that the difference in hardiness between 'Wonderful' and the so-called hardy types is pretty miniscule, at least in arid climates.