Pomegranate trees have fairly large flowers that bloom a beautiful orange-red color on the ends of new shoots in spring in hotter climates and in summer in temperate climates. If the flowers fail, the gardener is often faced with a puzzle.
Why isn't my pomegranate tree blooming?
If a pomegranate tree doesn't bloom, incorrect pruning, a lack of nutrients or frost damage could be the cause. This can be remedied by spring pruning before budding, targeted fertilization with fertilizers containing phosphorus and potassium, and protection from frost.
Pomegranate trees are grown for their flowers or fruits. Corresponding varieties are commercially available. The flowers of pomegranate trees and bushes are self-fertile. If you have grown a pomegranate tree yourself from seeds or cuttings, it is uncertain whether it will ever bloom and bear fruit. Sometimes the flowers and fruits take several years to appear.
Flowering time, blossom and fruit
In this country, the flowering period of the pomegranate trees is in the summer months. Only this year's shoots bear flowers and fruit. The flowers are funnel-shaped, orange-red to light yellow in color. The fruit is apple-shaped with a diameter of around 5-10 cm, initially green and later orange-red to red-brown in color. It is full of edible seeds surrounded by a juicy fruit coat colored in different shades of red.
Missing flowers
If you have bought a pomegranate as a potted plant for the terrace or garden and have already seen it in bloom, you are often faced with a puzzle when it suddenly stops blooming. The following reasons can be responsible for the missing flowers:
- cut not done correctly or too early,
- the plant lacks the nutrients required for flower formation,
- The frost-sensitive plant was put outside too early and the flower buds fell victim to the frost.
You can first remedy this by making sure that spring pruning is carried out before budding. Furthermore, a targeted fertilizer application of a fertilizer containing phosphorus and potassium (€9.00 on Amazon) should be carried out. In addition, one should not forget that excess nitrogen can also lead to a decrease in flower bud formation.
Tips & Tricks
As a small-growing variety of the pomegranate tree, the dwarf pomegranate tree (Punica granatum Nana) is now very popular on terraces and balconies. The small shrub, about one meter high, produces delicate flowers and fruits.
