Capital Pomegranates

I live in Washington, DC and am inclined to wander around. The city is filled with odd plants from around the world. This dates back 150 years ago when plant adventurers were traveling the world looking for new cool plants that would survive in America. Anyhow, at the foot of the capital is a very old pomegranate bush. It just pumps out the pomegranates. In case you did not know, we cannot grow most pomegranates in DC. Its too cold. They just freeze to the ground and never do much. I have even tried all the varieties that are supposed to be cold hardy, the ones they collected in the mountains of Afghanistan. No go. But, one day I was on one of my strolls and voila, there was a pomegranate with fruit all over it. Here. Living. Producing. 

These required a seed collection because, well, the bush was living and producing in my area. I made a bunch of seedlings and have been growing them at the farm. They do just fine and produce fruit. So, if you are looking for a zero hardy pomegranate, I have one for you to try. I have no idea where it came from, but, I suspect it was an import from 150 years ago and it just kept on living. 

I am propagating these at the moment and hope to have some for sale in 2024.