Q: I am keeping a pomegranate plant in a large pot. During winter I move it indoors. I love this plant and want to see it grow in my garden. Please advise if the plant would be tolerant of the winter here.

A: Pomegranates are dense, bushy shrubs six to twelve feet tall with thorny, slender branches. Orange-red, bell-shaped flowers appear on new growth in the spring and summer. The leathery fruit contains numerous seeds surrounded by sweet, pink, juicy pulp. Commercially, the juice was once used to make grenadine syrup, the red coloring in the Tequila Sunrise mixed drink. One way to enjoy the fruit is to roll it firmly on a hard surface then cut a hole in the end to suck out the juice. This is best done in your birthday suit because pomegranate juice stains are very difficult to remove from clothing.

Pomegranate fruits also make nice ornaments for fruit bowls or Christmas wreaths. The plant may be damaged by unexpectedly low temperatures in the spring or in mid-winter by temperatures below 10 degrees F. That said, I still think you should try planting it outdoors. If unseasonably cold weather threatens, simply cover it with a large cardboard box.

see also
Growing Pomegranates

The Pomegranate