Here’s a detailed description of the Pomegranate plant (Punica granatum), covering its botanical features, uses, and habitat:

🌳 General Description:
Scientific Name: Punica granatum

Family: Lythraceae (formerly placed in Punicaceae)

Common Names: Pomegranate, Anar (Hindi), Dalim (Bengali), Dadim (Sanskrit)

Type: Deciduous or semi-evergreen shrub or small tree

🌱 Plant Features:
Height: 5–10 meters (16–33 feet), usually grown as a bushy shrub or small tree

Trunk & Bark: Multiple stems with smooth, reddish-brown bark that becomes gray with age

Branches: Often thorny, especially in wild varieties

🌿 Leaves:
Shape: Narrow, oblong to lanceolate

Arrangement: Opposite or in clusters

Color: Glossy dark green on top, lighter underneath

Texture: Smooth and leathery

🌸 Flowers:
Color: Bright red, orange-red, or sometimes white

Structure: Tubular with 5–7 crinkled petals

Size: 3–4 cm in diameter

Blooming Season: Late spring to early summer

Pollination: Mainly by insects (bees), some varieties are self-pollinating

🍎 Fruits:
Type: Berry, technically a balusta

Shape: Round, 5–12 cm in diameter

Color: Red, pink, or yellowish skin

Skin: Thick and leathery

Seeds (Arils): Juicy, red to pink, each surrounded by a fleshy, sweet-sour edible pulp

Ripening Season: Late summer to early winter

🌿 Uses:
Culinary:

Arils eaten raw or used in salads, juices, desserts

Juice is rich in antioxidants and vitamins

Medicinal:

Traditionally used for digestive issues, heart health, and immunity

Anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, and antimicrobial properties

Ornamental: Grown for its attractive flowers and fruit

Religious & Cultural: Symbol of fertility and prosperity in many cultures

🌍 Habitat & Cultivation:
Native to: Iran to Northern India; widely cultivated in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and other warm regions

Climate: Prefers hot, dry climates; drought-tolerant once established

Soil: Grows well in loamy, well-drained soil; tolerates poor soils

Sunlight: Requires full sun for optimal fruiting