I believe that Tony at Plant Delights discovered and named that variety many years ago (before I moved here in 2000) after a brutal winter which killed a lot of the typical yard trees around town. He found that plant unscathed by single digits out at the State Fair Grounds and that is why he named it 'State Fair'. His is the only nursery to offer it.

It has been fool proof in my garden. No protection. No soil prep. No pruning. No spraying. No nothing. In a mild winter year it can be in flower for 10 months easy. Mine is in full blazing hot sun in a flower bed on the south side of the house. It only gets about 5 feet tall but is often covered with fruit. It self sows around the base of the tree. The only drawback is that the fruit is very sour and kind of difficult to get into. They are also kinda brown instead of red or yellow like the bigger trees fruits.

Most pom's can't be trusted to make it through their first winter as a baby tree so I would protect them however you can this winter. I have scooted this sort of plant up against the house wall on normal winter days and then drug them into the house or basement on super cold nights. These guys can take it down to 30 or 28 degrees without any issues but into the teens may cause a problem unless they are grown in the ground from Spring til Fall.

I have also had good luck with a cultivar called 'Compacta' offered by another local nursery - Pender Nursery which is wholesale only. They sell plants through the NC State Hort Students plant sales in the Spring and Fall known as the PAX Sale. You'll have to check the JC Raulston Arboretum's website to see when the next sale is and they often post a plant list where you can see if 'Compacta' is being offered.

Most of the Russian types have done well for me but they are larger trees and slower growing for me.

Thank you very much for the thoughtful response. I think what I'll end up doing is bringing the two pomegranates inside with my meyer lemon tree and grow them under lights for the winter.

Definitely looking forward to blooms and fruit in a couple years.