Pomegranate

Hundreds of ruby seeds inside

The pomegranate is a fruit with a crown! Inside it has up to 600 shiny red seeds. Pomegranates come from Iran and Central Asia — the Quva pomegranate is famous worldwide. The pomegranate tree is small, but it lives 200 years. In ancient times the pomegranate was a symbol of wealth and abundance.

The pomegranate (Punica granatum) is a fruit tree (5–8 m) from the foothills of Iran and Central Asia, cultivated for 5,000 years. Botanically the fruit is an 'odd berry' containing 200–1,400 arils (juicy seeds). The pomegranate of Uzbekistan's Quva district (Fergana Valley) is considered one of the sweetest in the world; the 'Kazaki anor' and 'Achik-dona' varieties are famous. The juice is rich in antioxidants (polyphenols). In Eastern culture the pomegranate symbolises prosperity and large families — it appears often in miniatures and suzani embroidery. The oldest known pomegranate trees are over 200 years old.

Fun facts

• One pomegranate can hold up to 1,400 seeds.
• The pomegranate has a 'crown' — some say kings' crowns were copied from it.
• The Quva pomegranate is so famous that a festival is held in its honour every year.