[JTh]

I'm posting an image that may be too easy, but I hope it may stimulate your brain while digesting all the Christmas goodies. Merry Christmas to all of you.

[Alice]

Not so easy, Jorun. Unless too much Christmas cheer has befuddled members' brains.

[JTh]

Don’t give up so easily, Alice, you will be surprised when you see the rest. And don’t forget it is Christmas.

[Jill S]

How about Reindeer Moss/Lichen ?
And Best Wishes for the New Year to all

[Alice]

Lichen crossed my mind too, but I was not convinced.
Reindeer, of course, would make it seasonal.

[JTh]

You are both wrong, Alice and Jill, I don't think reindeer lichen has ever been seen where this is commonly growing, I'm sure you have seen it almost every day in the Mediterranean.

[Alice]

Punica granatum? (Wild guess).

[JTh]

That wasn't a wild guess at all, Alice, you are of course right, it's from a pomegranate which had just opened up and showing its jewels. I said this was an easy one, but I probably gave too many clues as well.

[Alice]

I would say it was a sly one, Jorun!
Anyway, it looks gorgeous.

[SusanIbiza]

Yum! I just love pomegranates!   

[Jill S]

Knew I should know it, one of those really frustrating ones where the brain won't supply what the eye recognises.

[JTh]

No wonder this one of my favourites: wonderful, coppery leaves in the spring, turning golden in the autumn, beautiful flowers and large numbers of gorgeous fruits. It has also turned out to be the definitely easiest, most undemanding bush/tree to grow in our garden in Greece. We get more fruit than we can eat, but the birds are helping us, they love it.

[Alice]

I would agree with you, Jorun, that it is an easy plant for dry conditions. Our specimens do well where other fruit trees struggle or give disappointing results.
Have you noticed which birds eat the fruit?

[JTh]

I have tried to identify the birds, but I have not managed to do so properly yet. They are small, greyish brown, could be warblers, which are normally mostly insectivores, but maybe they like pomegranates as well?

[John J]

I agree that pomegranates are easy to look after. We have 2 that are very much left to their own devices and I only take the secateurs to them when the guy from the Water Board complains that they get in his way when he's trying to read the meter. We get untreated dam water to irrigate our fruit trees and the inlet valve and meter are situated at the top of our field with the pomegranates next to them. We also share some of their fruit with birds, they often leave a completely empty shell hanging from the bush. Because of their position I haven't been able to identify the culprits either.