Pomegranate (Punica granatum) MOLLAR DE ELCHE

Pomegranate (Punica granatum) 'Mollar de Elche'

The most valuable Spanish variety with soft seeds and exceptionally sweet flavor.

'Mollar de Elche' is a world-renowned pomegranate variety originating from the Elche region in Spain (holding a Protected Designation of Origin). It is considered one of the best varieties in the world, primarily due to its sweet taste with low acidity and soft, easily edible seeds. It is the ideal choice for those who dislike the hard seeds found in common pomegranates.

Key Highlights:

• Soft seeds: Seeds are tender and barely noticeable when eaten.
• Excellent taste: Very sweet, aromatic flesh with minimal acidity.
• Large fruits: Weight 300 – 480 g.
• High and regular yields (up to 40 kg per mature tree).
• Self-fertile and easy to grow.

Origin and Registration

• Country of origin: Spain (Alicante province, Elche region).

Variety Characteristics

Tree

• Growth: Medium vigor, reaches a height of 3 – 4 m (less in containers). Forms a dense, spherical crown.
• Flowering: Blooms from May to July with large, attractive orange-red flowers. It is self-fertile.
• Leaves: Dark green, glossy, turning yellow in autumn. Deciduous.
• Productivity: Begins bearing fruit in the 3rd to 4th year. Highly productive.

Fruit

• Size and Weight: Large, 300 – 480 g, spherical shape.
• Color: Skin is creamy yellow to deep pink (depending on sun exposure).
• Flesh: Reddish arils (juice sacs) are full of juice.
• Taste: Exceptionally sweet, delicious, without tartness.
• Seeds: Soft, edible (soft-seeded variety).
• Usage: Fresh consumption (best choice), fresh juices, salads.

Resistance and Requirements

• Resistance: Drought-tolerant and disease-resistant (suitable for organic growing).
• Frost: Mature wood is hardy to -12 °C to -15 °C. Young plants are more sensitive.
• Soil: Nutritious, well-drained, light sandy-loam. Avoid excess calcium.

Cultivation Recommendations

• Cultivation: Recommended to grow as a container plant for the first 3 years (overwintering in a cool place up to 6 °C). Once established, can be planted in a sheltered, sunny spot.
• Pruning: Cut back to 30 cm after planting (if bare-root) to encourage branching. Later, maintenance pruning to thin the crown.

Harvest and Storage

• Harvest time: Ripens in autumn, from late September to October.