Actual size and flowering may vary slightly based on season.
Wonderful Pomegranate
Wonderful is the classic pomegranate, with large, deep red fruit that ripens in fall. It thrives in Valley heat and sets fruit on its own, so one tree is enough. Red flowers open in spring, and the leaves turn yellow before they drop in winter. Grow it as a backyard fruit tree, a large shrub or a fruiting hedge along a wall.
Best for: a backyard fruit tree, a fruiting hedge or screen along a wall, and spring flowers with yellow fall color.
Wonderful is self-fruitful, so a single tree bears on its own. Expect the first real crop about 2 to 3 years after planting. The large red fruit ripens in fall, around October in the Valley.
Set plants 8 to 12 feet apart along a wall or fence for a hedge that also fruits. Left bushy, it grows about 10 feet tall and wide. Pull suckers from the base in late winter to keep the row tidy.
Bright red flowers open in spring, and bees and other pollinators visit them. In fall the leaves turn yellow before they drop, so the tree looks good in three seasons.
Uneven watering, then a big soak or monsoon rain, splits the fruit. Leaf-footed bugs pierce the fruit and can rot it from the inside. Fruit left in hard afternoon sun can sunburn.
- Fruiting hedge or row8 ft apart
- Single fruit trees12 ft apart
For the first two weeks, water a new tree every 1 to 2 days in summer, or every 3 to 4 days in cooler months. Ease to about weekly in summer by the second month. Keep up deep, regular soaks for its first 3 years.
It survives on little water once rooted, but fruit needs deep, regular soaks. Water about every 1 to 2 weeks while it is growing and about monthly in winter.
It can be grown as a tree or kept as a 6 to 12 foot bush. If you want fruit, prune lightly.
Take off the nursery stake at planting. Stake only if the tree cannot stand on its own or sits in a windy spot. Use two stakes outside the root ball with soft, wide ties, and remove them after about a year.
Drops its leaves in winter and leafs out again in spring.
Drainage test first. Dig the hole and fill it with water. If water is still sitting in the hole a day later, you likely hit caliche, clay or hard soil, so fix the drainage before planting. If it drains very fast, the soil is sandy. Standing water around roots is a common reason new plants fail.
Weed cloth. Cut it away from the planting hole and where the roots will spread. Remove any plastic sheeting completely, since it keeps water and air out of the soil.
Rock or decomposed granite with no soil underneath. Bring in soil close in texture to your native soil, mix it with the soil below, and build up enough depth for roots before planting.
If you can break through. Use a breaker bar, pick, or jackhammer. Dig through the caliche and break out the solid chunks. Backfill with the soil you dug out, with no compost or manure in the hole. Confirm drainage before planting.
If you cannot break through. Dig narrow holes through the hard layer beside the root ball, not under it, and refill them with the same soil, not gravel. If it still will not drain, plant on a low mound of the same soil.
Root ball. Check the outside edges for any roots circling around. Loosen or cut those so they grow outward. Do not break up the center of the root ball.
Depth. The top of the root ball should sit at or just slightly above the surrounding soil level. Planting too deep can lead to rot and kill the plant.
Drip emitters. At planting, put the emitters on the root ball, on different sides of the plant. After about 2 months, move them to the outer edge of the root ball. Over the first year, add emitters farther out toward the edge of the branches as roots grow. Once a plant is rooted, never water only at the trunk.
How often should I water a pomegranate in Phoenix?
Water a new tree deeply once or twice a week through its first year. Once it is established, soak it 2 to 3 feet deep every 7 to 14 days in summer and less often in winter. Keep the schedule steady while fruit is sizing up.
Why are my pomegranates splitting?
Splitting comes from uneven water. When the soil dries out and then gets a deep soak or monsoon rain, the inside swells faster than the skin. Water on a steady schedule and mulch the root zone to prevent most splits.
When are Wonderful pomegranates ripe in Arizona?
They ripen in fall, mostly in October. Pick when the skin turns deep red and loses its shine and the fruit looks slightly angular. Ripe fruit gives a little when pressed, like a ripe avocado.
Do I need two pomegranate trees for fruit?
No. Pomegranates are self-fruitful, so one tree sets fruit on its own. A second tree nearby can improve fruit set, but you do not need one.
How long until a pomegranate fruits?
Most trees start producing in their second or third year. Younger trees often bloom without setting fruit, so keep watering on schedule and give it time.
How big does a Wonderful pomegranate get?
Plan on about 10 feet tall and wide. Left unpruned, pomegranates can reach 12 to 20 feet, and many people keep them as a 6 to 12 foot bush with late winter pruning.
How far apart should I plant pomegranates?
Plant them 8 to 12 feet apart. Use about 8 feet for a fruiting hedge along a wall and about 12 feet for separate fruit trees. The Spacing tab shows both.
When should I prune a pomegranate?
Prune in late winter, late January into February, while it is bare. Shape it as a bush or single-trunk tree, and remove suckers from the base.
How cold hardy is a pomegranate in Phoenix?
Valley winters do not hurt an established pomegranate. Damage can start below about 10°F, and a young tree can use frost cloth on the rare hard freeze.
What is ruining my pomegranates from the inside?
Leaf-footed bugs are the usual cause. They pierce the fruit, and the seeds rot while the outside looks fine. Check the tree often, knock them into soapy water by hand, and use insecticidal soap on young nymphs.
Can pomegranate fruit get sunburned?
Yes. Fruit in hard afternoon sun can sunburn, and sunburned spots can rot. A spot with morning sun and some afternoon relief helps, especially for young trees.
When is the best time to plant a pomegranate?
Plant in late winter to early spring, February or March in the Valley, or in fall. Avoid planting in the summer heat.
Wonderful Pomegranate for sale in Arizona, delivered to you
Wonderful pomegranate is one of the easiest fruit trees for Valley yards. It loves heat, fruits on its own and ripens big red fruit in fall. Below is what to expect: size, spacing, watering for good fruit, harvest time, pruning and the problems people ask about most.
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How often to water pomegranates in Phoenix
Once established, soak the tree 2 to 3 feet deep every 7 to 14 days in summer and less often in winter. New trees need a deep soak once or twice a week through their first year.
Why do pomegranates split in Arizona?
Dry spells followed by heavy water or monsoon rain make the inside swell faster than the skin. Steady, even watering and a layer of mulch prevent most splitting.
When to harvest pomegranates in Arizona
Wonderful ripens in fall, mostly in October. Look for deep red color, a matte skin and a slightly angular shape, then clip the fruit from the branch.
How far apart to plant pomegranate trees
Space pomegranates 8 to 12 feet apart. Plant about 8 feet apart for a fruiting hedge and about 12 feet apart for separate trees.
When to prune pomegranate trees in Phoenix
Prune in late January through February while the tree is bare. Shape it as a bush or single trunk and pull suckers from the base.
Leaf-footed bugs on pomegranates
These bugs pierce the fruit, and the seeds rot inside. Check the tree often as fruit sizes up, knock bugs into soapy water and treat young nymphs with insecticidal soap.
Is Wonderful pomegranate self-fruitful?
Yes. One tree sets fruit on its own, with the first real crop about 2 to 3 years after planting. A second tree can raise the harvest but is not needed.
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