E,
I think Parfianka has gotten really good reviews for flavor; now, as to hardiness, I dunno - I'd have to consult my orchard map to see if the one(s) I rooted several years ago are still hanging in there. Don't know anything about lyubimy.
Had Saanichton 12 a number of years ago, and it was touted at that time as the most cold-hardy - but it only lasted one season here in KY - didn't wake up after its first winter. I planted several argutas, and 3 or 4 fuzzies. Hayward (or was it Elmwood? Don't recall for sure, but think it was Hayward.) fuzzy hung in there for probably a half-dozen years before it finally gave up the ghost.

Lucky, thanks for the report. I'd definitely be interested to hear which pomegranates seem to be the hardiest for you. I guess whatever has survived in your zone 6 will be even more sure for me. Changing subjects, what do you think of your hardy kiwis?

Thanks, Bamboo. I'll definitely check out Green Sea. I hadn't heard of them before. However, EL has been very good to me, so I'll probably deal with them so long as they have the best varieties for me, and they're location seems to mean that they're mostly selecting pretty much for my location. And the small sizes of pomegranates I'm looking at are only about $7, and right now I'm more inclined to spend extra time than extra money on pomegranates. Bamboo, do you have a favorite pomegranate variety of those reputed to be especially cold hardy?

Floyd,

Sorry I don't. I have 26 varieties but they are still young. They , well at least some bloomed this year but I removed the flowers as I want them to grow. They are taller than I am now. I didn't really have to consider cold hardiness so have not researched the best cold hardy varieties. I have tasted a bunch of the varieties and there are none I disliked. Some of course are better than others some sweeter some more tangy and some just boring like Wonderful.

Eric,

between those 2 Pom's Lyubimyi from the info I have seen would be more hardy but I have seen lots of good reviews for Parfianka. I believe Parfianka was Dr. Levin's favorite, but not particulary hardy. I have both growing and several others but neither of those in ground yet. They will be planted out next spring. Some guy if I recall used to post here about growing Lyubimyi in Wash DC area. I have wondered if Lyubimyi is the same as Lubimi also sold as "Favorite" by OGW and Burnt Ridge which is described as very cold hardy. I see EL calls it "Favorite Lyubimy" so imagine it is the same. I Guess I am not 100% that the cutting I started from UC Davis labeled Lyubimyi is the same as Lyubimy and Lubimi

This post was edited by strudeldog on Sat, Aug 10, 13 at 9:27

Eric, it might help you to know that, last winter I was looking for some soft seed varieties that might work in our zone and purchased these 4 from Greensea last winter: Parfyanka, Desertnyi, Sirenevyi and Sin-Pepi. Planted them in 10 gallon pots and of the 4, the Parfyanka variety seems to take the humid and wet conditions the best and has more than doubled in size in 6 months. I am going to keep them in pots for a while before I decide if they can handle the winters here in Atlanta.

Had the kiwis in place for 12 years or so. Never got a fruit; don't think they bloomed but once or twice. Invariably got all the first leaves burned off by routine frosts.
Wife put in a tennis court 5 years or so ago, and the kiwis were in the area of the orchard that she had bulldozed. I shed not a tear over them disappearing.

Poms have experienced minimal to no winter damage - but no fruit yet, either. I'd hoped that this would be the year - but it wasn't. Had a late frost that burned off pretty substantial early leaf growth, and they had to releaf - don't know enough about flowering/fruiting habit of poms, but that may have spelled doom for this year's flowers; I dunno.