We have a 10-year old pomegranate. It is the Wonderful variety, which is what nearly everyone in North America is familiar with if they have ever grown this tree or tasted pomegranate juice. However, there are other varieties with significantly different characteristics. I read a book about them which related the story of Dr. Levin who brought a selection of varieties from his nursery in Turkmenistan when he came to America. These are now being preserved and propagated at U.C. Davis and only in the last 2-3 years have they become available in retail nurseries.
You have to give me a chance to wax poetic here - we are talking about a man who had hundreds of varieties of pomegranates under his care, all with different genetic traits developed in many different climates by people with a desire to grow this fruit. When he left Turkmenistan Dr. Levin brought of the best or most interesting (from a genetics standpoint) in order to preserve them.
Two of these varieties are Parkfianka and Desertnyi. There is one nursery in the Phoenix area that carries both. Yesterday I planted one of each in our yard. Parfianka always rates among the best for overall flavor, Desertnyi has citrus overtones.
Pomegranates are one of the perfect fruit trees for the Phoenix area. Deciduous, drought-tolerant, beautiful as a landscape plant, and the fruit can be eaten fresh or made into jam, or into wine, or juiced and bottled. Plus they have great health benefits.
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