Pomegranates can be kept as small as three feet tall if you want them to be like bonsais, or they can grow up to 20 to 30 feet as mature trees on commercial farms. They can handle drought and direct sunlight, so you can plant them in areas where other trees may struggle with the heat or use them to shade other plants.

First, dig a hole in loose, well-draining soil that is either loamy soil or a loam-sand mix. Once the sapling is placed in the hole, re-fill it with soil and compost in and around the roots, mulch heavily around the base while avoiding the stem, and water it well the first few months.

Pomegranates should ideally get a minimum of four to six hours of sunlight per day and a deep watering around once a week. If you intend to grow fruit, trim the suckers quickly, and after the first year, prune it so that there are only three to five shoots per branch.

Varieties range from the Punica granatum var Nana for bonsais to the P. granatum "Wonderful," which is the most commercially-grown pomegranate in California and used for juicing. To impress others with the flavor and not the size of the fruit, try the "Utah Sweet" variety that is sweeter and pinker with smaller seeds.

High in antioxidants, the fruit and juice of pomegranates are healthy for both humans and dogs. Some sensitive people may get diarrhea if they ingest large amounts, and it’s best to avoid feeding the white peel or seeds to dogs as they could cause stomachaches.