pomegranate no. 6

Punica granatum 'nejikan'

Height 20" Width 18"

Upon first glance it would be hard to grasp that this ancient looking pomegranate is only 20 years old. Propagated and grown for close to two decades at D&L Nursery near Ocklawaha, Florida, the hollow, twisted trunk and muscled veins resemble something closer to one hundred years in age. 'Neji' zakuro is the genetically twisting version of the flowering pomegranate. Specimens with age and character are highly coveted for bonsai and incredibly hard to find.

The true age of this tree is only visible in the immature branching and structure of its upper canopy. The muscling and contortion extending to the branching tips, combined with thickening and ramification only manifest on trees which have spent long periods of time as bonsai. However, after only one complete wiring and two repots in a bonsai container, it is undeniable that this tree has the right genetics to become a spectacular ambassador of the species and the characteristics that make pomagranate such a timeless species in bonsai.