Did you know that there are more than seven pomegranate trees on campus? Late October is prime time for picking ripe pomegranates. As you walk around campus, you can see the fruit splitting open, revealing the dark red seeds inside. A tasty snack after afternoon activities, pomegranate seeds are a tangy, juicy crunch of goodness. 

If you do not want to chew through a handful of sour seeds, make sure the fruit you pick is ripe. Ripe pomegranates should be a dark pink or red color on the outside, and heavy because they are filled with yummy juice. You could even pick one of the split ones, as you can easily tell if they are ripe when the exposed seeds are a deep crimson color.

Before you get too excited, pomegranate juice can stain your clothes and is difficult to remove. An easy way to get around this is to peel your pomegranate in a bowl of water. This way, if the juice splatters, it will stay in the bowl and not on your clothes. 

Quick trivia! Pomegranate in Spanish is “granada,” in French “grenade,” and in Chinese “shíliú (石榴).”

Pick your pomegranates quickly before the harvest is over! We have provided you with a handy, dandy map of all the locations of pomegranate trees on campus. If you happen to walk past a tree, do not hesitate to pick a pom. They are up for grabs!

Gallery | 2 Photos

Matthew Gaw (‘21)

Nichola Monroe (‘22) peels a pomegranate in a clean bowl of water.