(Punica granatum) Pomegranate originated in southern Asia and was widely cultivated from India to the Mediterranean during ancient times. From Spain, it was introduced into the Americas by Spanish missionaries during the sixteenth century. While pomegranate can be trained as a small tree, it is more commonly grown as a bushy shrub. The leaves are deciduous, usually glossy and dark green. The fruit may be yellow to bright red in color, up to about 4 inches in diameter. The rind is smooth, but leathery, with a persistent, tubular calyx at the blossom end. The numerous seeds are surrounded by a pink to purplish or crimson, pulp which is juicy and subacid. Pomegranate is well adapted to areas with hot, dry summers. It is considerably more cold hardy than citrus; some can tolerate temperatures as low as 10 degrees.. With winter coverage it can be kept when temps drop below 0.  For best results, pomegranate should be grown in full sun. Basically pomegranate is well-adapted to practically any soil that has good internal drainage. While some authorities contend that its pH range is slightly acidic to neutral, pomegranate grows very well on the moderately alkaline soils found in many areas with low rainfall.