Species guide
Pomegranates
8 pomegranate varieties with cited chill-hour, zone, and pollination data. Most are self-fertile.
Variety catalog
- Ambrosia~150 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones 8–10 (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)self-fertile
- Angel Redchill —zones 7–11 (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)self-fertile
- Eversweet~150 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones 8–10 (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)self-fertile
- Kazakechill —zones —self-fertile
- Parfianka100–200 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones 7–10 (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)self-fertile
- Salavatskichill —zones 7–10 (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)self-fertile
- Sweet~100 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones 8–10 (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)self-fertile
- Wonderful~150 chill hrs (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)zones 8–10 (Figure from a nursery catalog; no extension-published value.)self-fertile
(est.) marks our clearly-labeled estimate where no source publishes a figure (hover for the basis); dashed badges cite nursery catalogs rather than extension sources; “—” means nobody publishes that figure for the variety.
Growing pomegranates: the basics
Pomegranates are heat-loving, adaptable plants that tolerate a range of soils and, being self-pollinating, can fruit from a single plant in a warm, sunny spot.
Sun & site
Give pomegranates a warm, sunny position. They are self-pollinating, so a single plant can set fruit, though each carries both fruitful female flowers and non-fruiting male flowers.
Soil
Pomegranates produce best on deep loams but are adapted to many soil types, favoring well-drained ground that isn't heavy or persistently moist, with a soil pH in the range of about 5.5 to 7.0. Very sandy soils tend to yield lightly and heavy clay can give poor fruit color, so a well-drained loam is the sweet spot.
Spacing
For dooryard and orchard trees, allow roughly 10 to 16 feet between plants, with wider rows where you're planting in rows. Grown as a hedge, plants can go closer, around 6 to 9 feet apart.
Watering & first years
Pomegranates use water at about the same rate as citrus over a season, and in the absence of rainfall benefit from irrigation every 7 to 10 days. As fruit matures, gradually easing back on water helps reduce splitting and improve flavor.
Planting & cold siting
Plant in early spring into loosely worked, non-saturated soil, avoiding late frost. Pomegranates are cold-sensitive: dormant plants can be severely injured by temperatures around 12°F, and non-dormant plants are damaged at higher temperatures, so in marginal zones choose a sheltered, warm microsite and cold-hardy cultivars.
Where this guide comes from
This growing guide is drawn from the university-extension sources below.
- University of Florida IFAS Extension. The Pomegranate (MG056) — accessed July 2026
Plan the year
Month-by-month pomegranate care, anchored to each zone’s typical frost dates: