Pomegranate
Punica granatum (Pomegranate)
Pomegranate
Punica granatum (Pomegranate)
Ordering in autumn or winter? Many hardy exotics arrive dormant or cut back right now. This is normal, and the best time to plant.
Seasonal by nature: what to expect
- Grown outdoors, the way nature intended. Weather-tested and hardened in real UK conditions, so they thrive in your garden. A few marks on the older leaves are normal, the sign of a tough, real plant rather than a flaw.
- It follows the seasons. Depending on when you order, your plant may arrive cut back, dormant or leafless. That's healthy: dormancy is the ideal time to plant.
- Posted, not posed. Big leafy plants like bananas and gingers may be trimmed or gently folded to travel safely. It does the plant no harm, and it powers away again in spring.
Not sure what to expect from yours? Dormant, cut-back or weather-marked plants are all perfectly healthy and normal. Read what to expect through the seasons
The Punica granatum, better known as the pomegranate, is one of the most rewarding flowering shrubs you can grow for a hot, sunny corner. In the UK it earns its place not for a heavy crop of fruit but for its extraordinary orange-red, funnel-shaped flowers, which open right through summer against fresh, glossy foliage that flushes bronze in spring and turns butter-yellow before it falls. It brings a genuine touch of the Mediterranean to a sheltered border or a large pot on a sun-baked terrace.
It pays to be honest about the fruit. Pomegranates need a long, hot summer and warm autumn temperatures of around 13 to 16C to ripen, so across most of Britain the fruit rarely finishes outdoors. Grown for its flowers and its bold architecture, though, it is a star. Rated RHS H3, it is half hardy, so it is happiest in a mild, coastal or urban garden and reliably good against a warm south or west-facing wall. Elsewhere, give it the most sheltered sunny spot you have plus a little winter protection, or keep it potted so it can shelter through the coldest weeks. Our hardy exotics, what to expect guide explains how these plants behave through the seasons.
How and where to grow
- Position: full sun, in the warmest, most sheltered spot, ideally against a south or west-facing wall.
- Soil: any fertile, free-draining soil, from chalk to sand, across the full pH range, with sharp drainage the priority.
- Size: a large shrub or small tree reaching around 1.5 to 2.5 m over ten to twenty years, and easily kept smaller in a container.
- Hardiness: RHS H3, half hardy, so shelter it well and protect it from hard winter frost.
Water regularly through the first couple of summers to build a strong root system, after which it copes well with dry spells, and keep it much drier over winter. Because it is deciduous and flowers on the current season's growth, a light shaping prune in late winter keeps it tidy and brings on the new shoots that carry the blooms. It is a natural for a hot exotic border or grouped with other drought-tolerant plants, and its long flowering makes it a favourite with bees, so it sits happily among our plants for pollinators. Where space or winter cold is a concern, it is one of the best plants for pots and containers.
Whether you are hunting for a pomegranate tree for UK gardens or simply the best sun-loving shrub for a warm wall, this is a characterful choice from our wider range of hardy exotics. Every plant is nursery-grown, selected for a healthy shape and strong roots, and packed with care to arrive in top condition.
Hardiness & Frost
RHS H3, half hardy. Reliable outdoors only in mild, coastal or urban gardens, and happiest against a warm south or west-facing wall. In most of the UK give it the most sheltered sunny spot you have and protect the roots and crown from hard winter frost, or grow it in a pot that can be moved under cover for the coldest months.
Sun & Aspect
Full sun. Pick the warmest, most sheltered position you can offer, such as a south or west-facing wall, to ripen the wood and bring on the vivid summer flowers.
Soil
Any fertile, free-draining soil will do, including chalk, loam and sand, across the full pH range. Sharp drainage matters most of all, especially through a wet winter, so improve heavy ground with grit.
Watering & Establishment
Water regularly through the first two summers to settle the roots in, then only during prolonged dry spells once established. Keep it much drier over winter. A balanced feed each month through the growing season keeps growth strong and flowering free.
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Yes, in the right spot. It is rated RHS H3, so it is at its best in mild, coastal or urban gardens and against a warm south or west-facing wall. In colder areas give it the most sheltered sunny position you have and protect it over winter, or grow it as one of our plants for pots so it can shelter under cover in the coldest weeks.
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Full sun, and as much warmth as you can give it. A south or west-facing wall that traps heat suits it perfectly and helps ripen the wood for a better show of summer flowers. It is a true sun lover, so once established it also earns a place among drought-tolerant plants.
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Rarely. Pomegranates need a long, hot summer and autumn temperatures of around 13 to 16C to ripen their fruit, which most British gardens cannot promise outdoors. It is best grown for its vivid orange-red flowers and handsome foliage, with any fruit a welcome bonus in a hot year or against a sheltered wall.
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It is half hardy, rated RHS H3, so it is not reliably hardy across all of the UK. In milder and coastal gardens it can stay out in a sheltered spot, while elsewhere it appreciates a warm wall, a dry root run and some protection in hard frost. See our hardy exotics, what to expect guide for seasonal care.
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In the UK it makes a large shrub or small tree of around 1.5 to 2.5 m in both height and spread over ten to twenty years. It responds well to a light prune in late winter, so it is easy to keep more compact, and it is happy in a large container for years. Note this is the full species, not the miniature 'Nana', which stays much smaller.
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Yes, it is one of the best sun-loving shrubs for a large container on a warm patio or terrace. Growing it in a pot also lets you move it somewhere sheltered for winter, which suits its RHS H3 rating. Browse more of our plants for pots for companions.
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Your plant will arrive in its nursery grow pot — the plastic pot it's been growing in. We don't include a decorative pot as standard, and there's a good reason for that: it means you get to choose one that fits your space and style, rather than being stuck with something that doesn't suit your home.
It also means you're not paying extra for a pot you might not want. The nursery pot is perfectly fine to keep your plant in for a while, just pop it inside a decorative cover pot or cache pot and you're good to go. When you're ready to repot (usually after a growing season or when roots start poking out the bottom), you can move it into something more permanent with fresh soil.
If you're not sure what size cover pot to go for, check the pot selector tool listed above, you'll want a decorative pot that's a centimetre or two wider than that to give it a comfortable fit. -
Every plant on our site includes the pot size (e.g. 12cm) and, where possible, an approximate height. That's the most reliable way to set your expectations, photos can sometimes make a plant look larger or smaller than it really is.
If you're thinking "that sounds quite small for the price," here's something worth knowing: younger, smaller plants almost always adapt better to your home than larger ones. They adjust faster to your light and humidity, put out new growth more quickly, and tend to establish stronger root systems long-term. A plant that grows into your space will usually outperform one that was already big when it arrived.
That said, every plant is an individual. The one you receive may vary slightly in height, shape, or fullness compared to the photo, that's the nature of living things, not a quality issue. We select healthy, well-established specimens, and if you ever feel your plant doesn't match what you were expecting, just get in touch and we'll take a look. -
There's a big difference between a plant that's been sitting under on a retail shelf and one that's been looked after and cared for by people who specialise in exactly this.
Our plants are grown in house or sourced from specialist nurseries, many of them varieties you simply won't find at your local garden centre or supermarket. Before anything leaves us, it's checked over by our horticultural team to make sure it's healthy, well-rooted, and ready to thrive in your home. We're not shifting volume off a pallet, we're choosing plants we'd want to keep ourselves.
When you buy from a supermarket, you get a plant and a generic care label. When you buy from us, you get the knowledge that comes with it, detailed care guidance, a team you can actually contact if something isn't going right, and the confidence that what's arriving has been looked after properly from the moment it was grown to the moment it reaches your door.
We're a specialist nursery first, not a retailer that happens to sell plants. That's the difference, and you'll see it the moment you open the box. -
First things first, unbox it as soon as you can. Plants don't love being in dark boxes any more than you would, and the sooner yours is out and breathing, the better.
Remove all the packaging carefully, give the soil a check with your finger, and water lightly if it feels dry. Then find it a spot with appropriate light, but avoid putting it straight into harsh direct sun or next to a radiator. Think of it like arriving somewhere new after a long journey: it needs a moment to adjust.
It's completely normal for your plant to look a little tired or droopy after transit. This is called transit stress, and most plants bounce back within a week or two. You might see a yellow leaf or some drooping, don't panic, and resist the urge to overwater or start repotting straight away.
Our advice for the first couple of weeks: leave it in its nursery pot, water it only when the top layer of soil feels dry, and let it acclimatise to your home's light, temperature, and humidity. Once it's settled in and showing signs of new growth, you can think about repotting or moving it to its permanent spot.
Every plant we sell comes with a care guide on the product page so you'll know exactly what it needs going forward. And if anything doesn't look right, get in touch with our team, we're always happy to help. -
Yes! and we go to serious lengths to make sure of it. Every plant is hand-packed by our team with protective wrapping and secure, custom-designed boxes to keep it stable and safe in transit. We've shipped hundreds of thousands of plants across the UK and our packaging methods have been refined over years to handle the bumps and jolts of delivery.
During colder months, we monitor weather forecasts and offer heat packs where needed to protect against frost. In extreme conditions, we may hold your order for a day or two rather than risk sending it out, we'd rather you wait an extra day than receive a stressed plant.
That said, plants are living things, and the occasional transit wobble can happen. If your plant arrives damaged or isn't in the condition you'd expect, just get in touch within 48 hours with a photo, and we'll make it right, whether that's a replacement or a full refund. No fuss.
The short version: we treat every box like it's going to someone who really cares about what's inside, because it is.
All plants are covered by our 7-day live arrival guarantee. We pack every order in protective, sustainable packaging designed to keep your plants safe in transit. Whether grown in our own nursery or sourced from trusted partner growers, every plant is checked before it ships. On the rare occasion something isn't right on arrival, we'll make it good, provided the plant is still in its original nursery pot.
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