Pomegranate is a bush (could be trained to be a small tree I guess). I think it would grow in Louisiana, but they prefer a drier climate. Temperate-wise you would be fine.

Yeah, I'm sorry to say they don't much like our humidity. I had two for several years, 'Wonderful' which is supposed to be good for fruit, and a decorative one whose name I forget which had small double flowers and made small fruit. But the tendency was for the fruits, especially of the Wonderful, to split from the moisture and start to rot before they got ripe. Now, that was back when we were getting rain just about every day, so maybe with the drought we seem to be having the last few years they would do better. Both were small-ish tree-shaped bushes, with the ornamental one being smaller. I've been wondering lately if I should try them again. We didn't find out 'til we'd been here for a few years that this used to be part of a cane field and lots of things didn't do well 'til we worked really hard on building the soil and the community of soil-builders like earthworms. I was told by someone local who knows what he's talking about 'you'll never have a good garden where it used to be a cane field.' Glad I had a good garden before I heard that! You'll probably have somewhat similar problems getting your soil back--tho' gardening in raised beds and planters is a good way too. (We just added 4-8 inches of every kind of organic stuff we could find, from pine straw and grass clippings to weeds and oak leaves and occasionally when we could get it manure three or four times a year. Took about 3 or 4 years before we got our first earthworms. I thought at first maybe earthworms don't grow down here!)

Do you suppose it's the moisture in the ground or the humidity in the air?

If it's ground water, I think I could raise the level of the soil and create a faster-draining soil by what material I build the bed with.

However, if it's the humidity, I can't much blame 'em cause I hate the humidity also. And, can't do a thing about it.

I think it's the humidity. I had both mine in very well-drained areas. I try to convince myself I like the humidity because I've been collecting plants that like it, and when they do well I do well! Tropicals are sometimes a bit of a bother in the winter (or more than a bit!) but they tend to be plants that like it here. The last few years have made me a believer in 'climate change' and we may be able to grow tropicals without so much extra work in the winter soon!

Hey John Bonzo
Hey greenelbows

Man, I wanted for them to grow here! You would know, Bitter Melon grows beautifully here and taste like yuck. I know, it's loaded with stuff that's good for me.

Pomegranate has tons of good stuff in 'em too. And, they taste great.

Anyone out there wanna trade 1 Ripe pomegranate for a hamper of ripe Bitter Melon?

Sure it is possible. I have grown one (dwarf variety) for several years. It has fruited fine. I also new of a large on in Port Allen that lived in its spot for 20+ years until taken down by construction. What is the most you have to lose, 20 bucks for a plant? Try it, pick a raised drier spot, but try it.

Here is a link that might be useful: Gulf Coast Garden

I am certainly no expert, but I think the humidity effects the fruit more than the plant. It is my understanding that the fruit splits open before ripening in high humidity.

I planted a one gallon dwarf bush this year (in january) and it looks super-healthy and is growing like crazy (it has over doubled in size). I live in Houston where it is very humid like LA, and we have had a ton of rain this spring. I have one bud that is about to bloom.

I am with Keith - give it a shot. Plant it on a mound thats not in a low spot of your yard. If you know anyone who has one, or if you buy one at the grocery store, they are supposed to be very easy to grow from cuttings or seeds. I planned on doing it this way, but a 1 gallon plant was $5 and a pomegranate at the store was $1, so it just made a lot more sense to buy the plant.

Yes, it should be possible. Might even be easy. My grandmother had a huge pomegranate tree in her yard -- St. Helena Parish -- about 95 miles due north of you.

It really couldn't be called a bush; it was far too large. As children, we actually climbed in it to get the fruit. I know that there were new pomegranate plants around the tree each year; they just came up from seed. Several people dug these up to have their own. Others we just mowed down.

I plan to plant a pomegranate at my home near Baton Rouge. Although my grandmother's house has not been occupied in 30 years, I may try to go there and see if I can dig up offspring from the tree. (The original tree was still there the last time I was at the house.)

You can try ordering from here http://www.justfruitsandexotics.com/Pomegranate.htm. They claim to have a variety that produces well in humidity. It is currently out of stock but I suspect they will have more in the fall. I have not tried growing them yet but everything that I have purchased form them has grown well.

Texas Gardener magazine recommends two different varieties of pomegranate for the humid South East Texas coastal area. Cloud (should be available from several sources) and Christina (from Just Fruits and Exotics). They also recommend any naturalized seedlings that you can get cuttings from that grow well in your area. Red Sash distributed by Tree Search Farms in Houston is also recommended for this area so it should be good in yours. Yadda out

Amelia, I'm in St. Helena too. Thanks for the info I will try growing pomegranate now.

Perhaps there is a dwarf variety that could be grown in a large pot indoors? then there would be less humidity and you could control the watering? I was born in 9th ward and lived first half my life in Chalmette, went to Andrew jackson High School, then lived in Meraux then Violet. Had to move after katrina for too many reasons, sure miss ya'll so so much.