SPECIFICATIONS:
- Projected height and spread: 8–12 ft. as a managed shrub or small tree; can reach 20 ft. unpruned; maintain at any height with summer pruning
- Growth habit: Multi-stemmed, arching deciduous shrub or small tree; vigorous and upright; long-lived; grows on own roots
- Light requirements: Full sun; 6–8 hours minimum; best fruit quality and flavor in the warmest, sunniest spot available
- Fertilizer requirements: Light annual feeding with a balanced amendment in early spring; feed in February, May, and September; avoid over-fertilizing, which promotes foliage over fruit
- Water requirements: Drought-tolerant once established; water deeply every 2–3 weeks during the dry season; tolerates a wide range of soils including clay; do not overwater
DESCRIPTION:
Wonderful is the benchmark of the pomegranate world — by far the most commercially grown variety in California and the standard against which all others are compared. Originating as a cutting in Florida in 1896 and propagated throughout California, it produces large, deep purple-red fruit with medium-thick rind and deep crimson arils that are juicy, tangy-sweet, and rich in antioxidants. Fruit matures in late September through October, making it one of the latest-ripening fresh fruits in the backyard orchard.
Wonderful thrives in the warm, dry summers of the East Bay's inland areas — Oakland hills, Castro Valley, San Leandro — where heat drives deep color and sugar development. It is self-fruitful and begins bearing within 2–3 years of planting. The plant is beautiful in three seasons: showy orange-red flowers in late spring attract hummingbirds and pollinators; jewel-red fruit hangs decoratively through fall; and attractive structure remains in winter. It can be grown as a single-trunk tree, a multi-stem shrub, an espalier along a fence, or a screening hedge. Pomegranates grow on their own roots — if frost ever damages the top, the plant comes back and produces the same fruit. Virtually pest- and disease-free, Wonderful is one of the lowest-maintenance fruiting plants available.
