Pomegranate Bonsai: How to Grow and Care

The Pomegranate bonsai tree is known for its unique structure and ability to produce fruits and flowers. Do you know that the pomegranate bosai are great for newbie and experienced bonsai growers?

It has a big trunk with beautiful barks twisted naturally to give it an old-growth appearance. Bonsai pomegranate plant bears bright red flowers and tasty fruits, making an excellent addition to your home and office settings.

If you are still wondering about how to grow pomegranate bonsai, you are at the right place. In this blog, we will explain everything about growing the pomegranate bonsai tree.

Before that, let’s jump into some of the interesting facts about pomegranates.

Facts about Pomegranate Bonsai Tree

If you are planning to buy your first pomegranate bonsai plant, choose one with a sturdy trunk. It develops a thick trunk over many years, but if it isn’t wide enough, you must wait for it to become thick. Pomegranate trunks won’t get thicker in bonsai pots.
You should provide your tree with rich organic nutrients since it will develop lovely flowers, large leaves, and fruits.
The pomegranate is a fruit-bearing deciduous little tree or shrub that is a member of the Lythraceae family.
These trees are native to Northern India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.
A typical pomegranate tree has many prickly branches and grows 6 to 10 meters tall. Some specimens have survived for 200 years, proving their lengthy lifespan.

How to make pomegranate bonsai?

There are three options to bring bonsai into your home.

1) Buying the actual bonsai:

You can simply purchase the pomegranate bonsai that the experts have already structured. Bonsai trees may be available from nearby nurseries, or you can order them online. These trees would already be in full growth.

2) Pomegranate bonsai from seed:

The relatively simple alternative is to start your pomegranate tree from a seed. To develop the tree into a suitable bonsai shape, you’ll need to spend more time shaping and developing it. If you have enough time and patience, go for this option.

It will give you a new way to release your creativity while growing a pomegranate bonsai plant. Additionally, remember that pomegranate seeds don’t always produce the same variety of pomegranate. You can end up with a different pomegranate from the one the seed originated from.

3) Through Propagation:

You can also enjoy the beauty of pomegranates through the propagation method. Because the young tree will be a clone of the mother tree, this approach has the advantage that you’ll know in advance what kind of pomegranate tree you’ll get.

Now, let’s learn how to grow bonsai pomegranate tree from seed and start a new tree from a cutting. Both of these techniques for creating a new pomegranate bonsai tree are essentially trustworthy.

Over time, you will be amazed to see how the tree develops!

How to grow bonsai pomegranate tree from seed?

You can choose to start your pomegranate tree from seed if you want an entirely natural process from beginning to end. Although it is simple to grow a tree from a seed, it will take time for the tree to get a robust trunk.

You don’t need to worry as the procedure is quite easy. People without a green thumb can also grow this bonsai from seed.

You’ll need the following supplies for the bonsai pomegranate plant:

Pomegranate seeds
Potting soil
Shallow containers
Clear plastic bags

Step 1: Place the soil in shallow containers after moistening with water.

Step 2: Put the seeds in the container and wrap them in a transparent plastic bag. It will stop moisture loss.

Step 3: Until you see the seeds starting to germinate, keep them in a warm place. You should make sure the soil remains moist, not damp.

Step 4: Expect a 30 to 40-day lag before germination. Next, take the plastic bags off.

Step 5: As your tiny seedlings grow, keep watering them.

Step 6: Move the seedlings into bigger pots as they outgrow their current ones.

Pomegranate trees’ trunks are more skinny when planted in pots. It may take time to achieve a good bonsai trunk. Be patient while growing your bonsai.

Now we will look at the propagation method of the pomegranate bonsai tree.

How to grow bonsai pomegranate tree using the propagation method?

Seeds don’t usually match their mother tree, so it’s pretty impossible to predict what species you’ll receive when cultivating pomegranate trees from seeds.

On the other hand, if you grow a pomegranate bonsai plant from a cutting, you’ll obtain the same species as the original plant. Starting a pomegranate bonsai tree through propagation is a fantastic choice if you can access cuttings from a pomegranate tree.

Procedure:

Step 1: You must first collect cuttings from a healthy pomegranate tree.

Step 2: Take the cuttings in the late winter, and make sure they are each 10 inches long and 14 to 12 inches wide in diameter.

Step 3: Now, put growth hormone into the cut ends. Your pomegranate cuttings are more likely to germinate due to this step.

Step 4: Place the cutting’s tip in its own container of damp soil. Make sure that each cutting’s top node remains above the ground.

Step 5: Now, give your cutting water. As required, give out water.

Step 6: After a certain period, you will witness that the roots have started to grow.

Step 7: Move the seedling to larger containers if necessary.

Note: You might need to plant these miniature pomegranate trees in the ground for a season or two to help the trunk to become stronger. After that, you can switch to bonsai containers.

How to plant a pomegranate bonsai tree?

If you bought bonsai from a nursery or online, it would be easier for you to grow. The bonsai experts already did your work halfway. Isn’t it a great option?

Things you will need for planting:

Your bonsai
A container
Well-draining soil

Steps to plant:

Take a bonsai container and fill it halfway with well-draining soil. Make sure your container has a drainage hole.
Place your pomegranate bonsai tree in the middle and add a fine layer of soil over it.
Place your container in a place that receives full sunlight.
Water your bonsai pomegranate plant regularly to make the soil moist.
You can add fertilizer in the growing season to promote growth.

Caring for the pomegranate bonsai plant isn’t tricky with the proper instructions. Here we will guide you in detail so you can adequately care for your tiny pomegranates.

Care Instructions

1) Placement

You can grow Pomegranate bonsai trees indoors all year round. But if you live somewhere with a Mediterranean weather (gentle, wet winters and hot, dry summers), you can also grow these trees outside.

When your bonsais are dormant in the winter, they may require some shade, but they prefer warm, sunny places. Place your bonsai pomegranate plant where it can receive full sunlight all day long.

2) Temperature

The ideal temperature to grow is somewhere between 5 to 38 degrees celsius. It’s unlikely that you can find a too hot environment for pomegranate bonsai because of how heat-tolerant they are.

However, when the temperature approaches 5 degrees Celsius, they begin to experience problems with the cold. You can bring your pomegranate bonsai inside when it starts to get cold outdoors.

Although leaves can survive temperatures as low as 6° C, roots do not enjoy freezing temperatures.

3) Humidity

Your bonsai might not like high humidity. The plant can withstand average moisture if necessary, but low-humidity environments are where it will produce its best fruit. However, pomegranate bonsai may endure excessive humidity if there is access to good airflow (or good breezes).

4) Soil

Pomegranates are native to areas with alluvial soil. They require a potting mix with decomposed granite at its core that drains properly. Your pomegranate bonsai plant will demand organic nutrients to generate the large leaves, blooms, and fruits.

Ideally, your bonsai prefers a 60% aggregate and 40% organic blend. Additionally, it may require additives, such as organic or inorganic time-release fertilizer made especially for plants that bear fruit and flowers.

5) Water

A bonsai pomegranate plant requires normal amounts of water. Although you should not leave it completely dry, the soil should only be damp. You can use a moisture meter to control the bonsai tree’s watering schedule.

Here we are dividing the watering schedule according to the seasons for your better understanding.

Summer

You should water your bonsai plants twice daily, in the morning and evening, which is very important.
When the sun is scorching, avoid watering your bonsai tree’s leaves because it could result in burned foliage.
Avoid watering bonsai plants in hot weather since the pot’s water may become too hot and damage the roots.

Winter

Depending on the temperature, you can water your bonsai once or twice a week.
Don’t water your bonsai pomegranate plant when it’s frigid or too chilly outside. Your plant can die in freezing soil.
The optimum time to water bonsai trees is during the day, not at night.

Spring and Fall

You should water your bonsai trees once a day in the spring and fall.
The best time to water your bonsai plants is when the earth feels just a little bit dry. Check before watering them again. Do not water when the soil is still damp.

Watering Tips to remember:

You should pay special attention when watering bonsai trees, as they grow in small pots or containers and tend to dry out much more quickly than plants in larger pots or the ground.
You should maintain a balance between using too little and too much water. Make sure to give your pomegranate bonsai tree plenty of water, but don’t overdo it.
Weekly misting will be beneficial for your pomegranate tree.
You’ll have to rely on observing your pomegranate bonsai plant because factors like container size, temperature, location, and maturity all impact how much water a pomegranate bonsai tree needs.
Pomegranate bonsai trees require excellent airflow. It doesn’t matter how carefully you water plants. If there isn’t enough air circulation, it can cause decay.

6) Fertilizer

Feeding your bonsai is important to maintaining its health because the nutrients in the soil of a bonsai leave with the water rapidly. You should begin providing food to your bonsai in the spring when new growth starts to show.

Use a rich bonsai fertilizer, either a solid or liquid fertilizer, with a high potassium content if you want to boost the growth of your bonsai pomegranate plant to produce fruits and flowers.

Bonsai enthusiasts mainly use two types of fertilizers:

Solid Fertilizer
Liquid Fertilizer

Let’s get to know about them in detail.

Solid Fertilizer

The most common forms of solid fertilizer are pellets, granules, or powder. You can add them on top of the compost and below a layer of soil. As you will water the pomegranate bonsai plant over time, the solid fertilizer will slowly dissolve.

Perks

Solid fertilizers give your bonsai tree a consistent and ongoing supply of nutrients that you must refill every few months.
They are popular among bonsai breeders.
These fertilizers allow for better control over the number of applications.

Cons

Solid fertilizer works a little slower as compared to liquid fertilizer.

Liquid Fertilizer

These are available in a concentration, and you must dilute the liquid bonsai fertilizer before use. You should mix the liquid fertilizer with water appropriately and apply it to the wet soil.

Perks

Due to their quick action, some bonsai lovers prefer liquid fertilizers over solid.
Even if the effects of liquid fertilizers are temporary, they can offer your bonsai plants the immediate boost they require, particularly when the bonsai trees are just emerging from the dormant stage.

Cons

Liquid fertilizers are visible and tend to draw insects like maggots and other pests to your pomegranate bonsai tree.
They may also smell bad, which takes away from the overall visual appeal of your bonsai tree.
Since liquid fertilizers might be tricky to combine or dilute, there is a greater danger that you’ll fertilize the pomegranate bonsai plant too much.

7) Wiring

It is not advised to wire a pomegranate bonsai tree since it could experience die. It is preferable to use the “cut and grow” method to shape them. Large Pomegranate bonsai trees may tolerate wiring, but only if it is done with great care.

Steps to wire your bonsai:

1) Use the smallest training wire possible to hold the branch in place.

2) To prevent the training wire from slipping, wind it in the direction the branch is bent.

Note: Scarring will result from wrapping the wire too tightly.

3) Start wrapping the wire slowly around the trunk of the bonsai pomegranate plant at the base.

4) Follow the branch you want to train further. Repeat the procedure as you require.

You should carefully examine the wired branches and trunk. If you witness any scar, you must remove the wire immediately. If necessary, you can re-wire the bonsai pomegranate plant after removing the old wire.

Wiring Tips:

Do not re-wire the bonsai just after repotting.
Use a thin copper or aluminum wire for the branch to wrap around the pomegranate bonsai tree.
Be cautious, as branches can become brittle when wrapped too tightly.

8) Pruning Pomegranate Bonsai

You need to prune your bonsai to encourage new growth. Instead of clippers, you can pin new shoots to 1 to 3 leaf sets with your hands. Let the branches of your pomegranate bonsai grow longer than you want them to be before pruning.

Ideally, you should wait until blossoming is complete before pruning your pomegranate bonsai tree if you want it to produce flowers and fruits. We advise you to wait until fresh shoots are fully developed and have reached their ideal length.

9) Shaping

Pomegranates are great for bonsai style. However, because of the size of the fruit, medium to large style bonsai is considered best. Due to their blossoms and fruits, pomegranates perform best when grown as a single tree rather than in clusters.

An erect, formal style is ineffective. The casual erect, slanting, semi-cascade, multi-trunks and twisted trunk bonsai forms are the most attractive for your pomegranate bonsai plant.

You can manually pinch the sensitive green shoots at the first or third leaves to produce more foliage. You should adjust the length of new shoots once they have matured for longer than desired.

Note:

Pomegranate bonsai plants should be shaped using the “clip and grow” method rather than wire because the plant might suffer.

10) Repotting

Your pomegranate bonsai can also be repotted in the spring, just as new buds are beginning to form. While you can repot mature trees every two to three years or when the roots overrun the soil, you can repot younger bonsais every one to two years.

Now, the question is when to repot?

These are the best ways to check the repotting time:

Lift your bonsai tree out of the container carefully to see if the roots are encircling themselves.
It’s time to repot your bonsai pomegranate plant if the roots have begun to envelop both the pot and the bonsai itself.
Or if the bonsai outgrows the existing container.

How to repot

Start by removing as much soil as you can from the roots of your bonsai tree. If the roots have become thick, you should gently detangle them.
To prevent your pomegranate bonsai tree from outgrowing the pot, prune some longer roots after untangling the bonsai’s roots.
You can prune the fine roots by up to 50%, but no more than 1/3 of the root ball.
Place the pomegranate bonsai tree in well-draining soil.
Now, reposition your pomegranate bonsai tree in its pot.
Put some potting mix in the pot.
After repotting, give your pomegranate bonsai trees some water to aid in the compost soil’s settling.

Tips for repotting

After repotting, keep your pomegranates protected from strong winds for about a month because they are still getting rooted in the soil.
Do not place your bonsai in direct sunlight for an extended period after repotting.

11) Pests and Diseases

Aphids, scale, whiteflies, and mealybugs are a few pests that may try to harm the pomegranate bonsai plant. Generally, indoor bonsai trees have an issue with whiteflies. During the rainy seasons, your pomegranate bonsai tree may become infected with mold.

What to do?

Spraying water on the bonsai tree will help control it, especially underneath the leaves.
To keep bothersome whiteflies away, you must give your pomegranate bonsai ample air. You can use a water jet to remove aphids.
You may help keep pests away by spraying a non-toxic insecticide on your pomegranate bonsai tree every few months.
Give your bonsai proper ventilation and insect control to manage the mold issue.

Tips:

It’s important to check your bonsai for pests’ early warning signals.
If the soil is dry, avoid spraying a pesticide on your bonsai tree.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ques 1: Can I grow a pomegranate Tree as Bonsai?

Ans: Pomegranate tree bonsai has been a favorite among people. Despite not being the simplest tree to bonsai, it remains a favorite among enthusiasts.

Yes, you can grow a pomegranate tree as a bonsai with the proper care and training. However, trying to bonsai a pomegranate tree is not the best option for beginners as the process is pretty tough. You can buy it online and enjoy the aesthetic appeal of the tree.

Ques 2: Can I eat the fruit of the pomegranate bonsai plant?

Ans: Pomegranate fruit from a bonsai plant and fruit from a full-sized plant is genetically identical. Pomegranate bonsai fruit is so safe and suitable for consumption. The flavors of the two fruits should be similar to one another.

But fair warning: it’s better to avoid using chemical fertilizers or pesticides on the fruits or foliage if you intend to delve in.

Ques 3: How long does a pomegranate bonsai plant take to grow?

Ans: Pomegranate doesn’t develop unusually quickly or slowly. They will grow up to one to two feet yearly in the wild. You’ll need to control this growth to create the bonsai effect, but not as drastically as with other types.

The optimum pomegranate bonsai to support the full-sized fruit it will produce is about 2 feet tall and medium in size. In its first few years, your plant can grow to this height and possibly even start producing fruit at the same time.

A pomegranate bonsai plant can live for up to 200 years in good health. So, with some perseverance, you can produce a striking specimen to be passed down for many years.

Ques 4: Is it possible to cultivate a pomegranate bonsai tree inside?

Yes, pomegranate bonsai thrive indoors because they prefer warm, dry weather. You’ll soon have a bonsai roommate if you take the necessary precautions to maintain the ideal circumstances throughout the year.

What you should know while growing indoors:

Summertime: The growing season depends heavily on sunlight! Put your plant in a dry, well-ventilated area that is well-lit. While your plant may thrive on a sunny windowsill, midday shadow will protect it from the fiercest rays of the day.

During the summer, you might wish to supplement with a grow light if you cannot supply enough natural light.

Winter months: Fall weather signals that it’s time to move your plant away from the windowsill because these sun-loving plants dislike bright light during the long winter slumber. Move your bonsai to a shaded, dry area while it gets ready for dormancy.

Ques 5: What to consider while buying a Pomegranate Bonsai Tree?

Ans: Pomegranate bonsai trees are available in nurseries, plant stores, or online. A medium to large plant will yield larger fruits; alternatively, you can select a dwarf variety, which won’t require wiring.

Make sure your plant has a thick trunk when you acquire it so that it will continue to grow strong and vigorously once it is in your bonsai container.

Conclusion

The Pomegranate bonsai plant is one of the most loved species among bonsai lovers due to its rich historical and mythical lore. These are easy to care for and won’t give you much trouble.

Growing pomegranate bonsai from seed unleashes your creative side of yours. It gives you an upper hand in experimenting and adapting to various situations giving you a memorable experience.

So, when are you planning to bring your bonsai pomegranate plant?