Who is growing the Utah Sweet Pomegranate Tree?

General Fruit Growing
#1

The Utah Sweet Pomegranate Tree is said to be a zone 6 tree https://www.willisorchards.com/product/utah-sweet-pomegranate-tree#.WGfdPeRTHIU. Is anyone in zone 6 growing these trees?

Cold hardy pomegranate
#2

Mine died in 8b, but it was very small and we had a cold winter that year.

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#3

I think I will skip it c5tiger if it died in 8b it definitely could not survive 6a. The cold hardiness may have been overstated on the website.

#4

This was in the open with no protection in about 10 degrees. It may work for you but I would think you will need to provide some type of protection.

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#5

C5tiger,
We just went through -13 the other day so it’s not going to work here. Thank you for letting me know

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#6

A lot of the time it’s not the absolute low in the winter but late freezes after the buds begin to swell that do them in, but -13 I would think would be too much for them to take.

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#7

I have several Utah Sweets in zone 8a. They have done very well for us, but we haven’t had temps lower than about 15F since they were planted. I have never heard anything about them being a “cold hardy” pomegranate like Kazake and some other Russian varieties.

To be honest, there is nothing special about the Utah Sweet so don’t feel bad if you can’t grow it. It’s the typical early ripening “sweet” pomegranate with pink arils and no tartness whatsoever.

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#8

I spoke with http://greenseapomegranates.com today and they are cultivating an egg pomegranate this year that will be able to handle 5 degrees. They cover them with dirt or snow in Russia to be able to grow them. They will be available by next fall.

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#9

I have been watching hardy pomegranates for the past 3-4 years. I have not found any variety that can survive zone 6. I am talking about an account from backyard gardenders, not a catalog description by nurseries.

I planted Kazake in ground about 4 years ago. Unfortunately, even protected by mulch, it was dead. However, that winter happened to be one of the harshest one in memory.

#10

I agree. It’s the suprise spring frosts that devastate pomegranates. They survive the winter only to die in a spring-time cold snap.

I’ve resigned myself to growing them in pots for basement winter storage. Red Silk is a natural pom dwarf and well-suited for pot culture says multiple sources. My new Red Silk is sleeping in the basement right now.

I had Salavatski growing in the mountains in Zone 6b. A spring freeze killed it.

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