Pomegranate

pum'gran-at, a small, thorny tree, ten to twenty feet in height. It is native to southern Asia and is cultivated in subtropical countries for its glossy green foliage and fruit. A pomegranate looks much like an orange. It is yellow and has a leathery rind full of seeds. Each seed is surrounded by pulp and is wrapped in a skin of its own, each being crowded by its neighbors so closely as to produce a granular interior. Northern Africa and Portugal, Italy, and Spain are celebrated for pomegranates. They are cultivated in the Gulf States, California, and Utah. Pomegranates are a cooling, grateful fruit in hot climates and, when pressed into water and sugar, are a prime substitute for lemons. The pomegranate stands well in literature and history, the "Golden pomegranates of Eden" suggesting rest and comfort.