'Pomegranate' Limited Edition Print

Punica granatum, pomegranate

A3. 297 x 420 mm / 11.7 x 16.5 inches

Pomegranates are one of the great super fruits (although actually classed as a berry), holding many beneficial medicinal properties. Two major components of the pomegranate are punicalagins found in the juice and peel and punicic acid in the form of oil made from the seeds. In fact the antioxidants are so potent they are found to have 3 times the amounts found in green tea or red wine. The significantly high levels of antioxidants in pomegranates has such impressive anti-inflammatory effects that they are proven to reduce cancers, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, Alzheimer’s, arthritis obesity. Lowering blood pressure, improving erectile dysfunction and acting as an anti-bacterial remedy it truly is an impressive plant.

Prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer in men. Laboratory studies have shown that pomegranate extract can slow down cancer cell reproduction, and even induce apoptosis (cell death) in cancer cells. Interestingly, a human study found that 237 ml (8 oz) of pomegranate juice per day increased the PSA (prostate specific antigen, a blood marker for prostate cancer) doubling time from 15 months to 54 months, which is huge. Whilst more research is required it also appears that pomegranate maybe beneficial to inhibit the production of breast cancer cells, which is the most common type of cancer in women.There are so many medicinal assets from pomegranates linked with good health, it makes a valuable fruit to grow and harvest.

The exotic orange flowers make an appealing attraction to many pollinators. The Papilio demoleus, lime swallowtail butterfly is a popular visitor to Pomegranate trees, and you can very often spot them when the plant is in bloom. Bees are also very important for the pollination of Pomegranate trees. Without the pollinators trees will not effectively produce fruit and therefore will have to have a human intervention of dusting pollen carefully by hand.