Pomegranate

The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world and is mainly found throughout the Mediterranean region and in Western and Central Asia. The blossom is bright red; in Central Europe, the tree only bears fruit in very sheltered locations or as a potted plant from October to December. The pomegranate was already known in Persia, Egypt, Israel and other ancient cultures as an ornamental, fruit and medicinal plant. A dye is extracted from the skin of the pomegranate, which is used to dye oriental carpets. There is (archaeological) evidence of pomegranate culti-vation in Constance (Germany) in the Middle Ages.