One click on my name/icon will tell you that I’m in California. At least nine out of ten pomegranates are as well adapted to California climate as Wonderful is. Ironically, Wonderful was originally discovered in Florida.
Popularity of fruit has a lot more to do with what works for commercial growers I think than taste choices of consumer. Appearance, productivity, shipping ability are top priorities and taste is secondary.
Ask a backyard mango grower what they think of a Tommy Atkins, an apple grower what they think of a Red Delicious, and fig grower what they think of a Brown Turkey.
Wonderful is generally underrated taste-wise because it’s usually picked well before it’s ripe so it’s too tart and the flavor is not fully developed. I didn’t like it for years until I had one that had fully ripened. It is an excellent pom, one of the best. I’ve grown all the best varieties available in the US and Wonderful is in the top 5 taste-wise.
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have read some posts in cloudforest and there too, i saw ‘wonderful’ getting rave reviews at wolfskill taste tests.
seems like the early red color of its exterior may be partly to blame. People may associate the red with full-ripeness way before it is ready.
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I think the color and the large size trick people into thinking it’s ripe when it’s not even close.
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exactly, those wonderfuls are hefty!
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This is just the news I wanted to hear. Just recently bought three of the Wonderful. These were marked down to half price at Home Depot $12. Approximate 4 gal and 5 feet high.
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that’s a john stockton steal if 5 ft high!.
large-fruited trees usually want to attain large tree-sizes first before bearing large quality fruit
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Sad but I had to google a John Stockton steal to learn what a great player he was.
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the ultimate ‘man of steal’ 
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