“The fruit and its products such as arils and juice are rich in phytochemicals and are considered a ‘superfood,’” said Zhanao Deng, a University of Florida environmental horticulture professor who’s trying to breed and grow more pomegranates in Florida. A so-called ‘superfood’ is a general term referring to food rich in nutrients.

It’s not necessarily a huge transition from growing citrus to producing pomegranates, Deng said. Farmers can use the same orchards, equipment and facilities they use for citrus.

“We can produce fresh pomegranate fruit, arils and juice in July, which is at least two months earlier than growers in other states,” said Deng, a faculty member at the UF/IFAS Gulf Coast Research and Education Center (GCREC).

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