The pomegranate was already known to the ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Jews as a symbol of love and fertility, but the real home of this particular fruit in Persia is presumed. The Spanish city of Granada was even named after the pomegranate and the Spanish coat of arms is also decorated with such a fruit.
The largest cultivation areas are in Egypt, Afghanistan, Brazil, Iran, Israel, California, the Canary Islands, Madeira, Morocco, Tunisia, Cyprus and the Mediterranean countries.
The botanical name "Punica" refers to today's Tunisia (Punia) as the country of origin. According to ancient Roman estimates, the best pomegranates flourished there.