Tashan Pomegranates

Tashan Pomegranates

Tashan pomegranates are a protected geographical indication product.

　　 Tashan pomegranates have a cultivation history of over a thousand years. Within the vast Tashan Pomegranate Orchard, there are still over a thousand acres of ancient pomegranate trees dating back to the Ming and Qing dynasties. In recent years, the Lie Shan District of Huaibei City has been committed to developing high-efficiency agriculture and eco-tourism, as well as expanding the pomegranate industry, earning recognition as one of China’s six major pomegranate production bases. Among them, the “Taxian” brand soft-seed pomegranates won the gold award at the 2007 Beijing International Forestry Products Expo, were certified as “Green Food” by the National Green Food Development Center, and received the title of “Anhui Province Quality Agricultural Product.”

　　 It is reported that through a series of measures, the Lie Shan District of Huaibei City has not only made the previously little-known “Taxian” pomegranates popular in over 10 provinces and cities including Beijing, Shanghai, Jiangsu, Henan, and Shandong, but also significantly increased their sales prices. The public has tasted the benefits of developing the pomegranate industry, and enthusiasm for pomegranate cultivation has continued to grow. To date, the pomegranate planting area in Lie Shan District has expanded to nearly 60,000 acres, making the pomegranate industry a pillar sector for enriching local residents.

　　Tashan Pomegranates

　　 The administrative regions currently under the jurisdiction of Leshan Town, Songtian Town, and Gurao Town in Lie Shan District, Huaibei City, Anhui Province

　　The “Approval on the Protection Scope of Tashan Pomegranate Geographical Indication Product” issued by the People’s Government of Huaibei City, Anhui Province, Document No. Huaizheng Mi [2012] 99, and the Anhui Provincial Local Standard: DB34/T307-2002 “Tashan Pomegranate”

　　I. Varieties

　　Soft Seed No.1, Soft Seed No.2, Soft Seed No.3, Green Skin Sweet, Taxian Red, Dark Red Soft, Green Skin Soft Seed, and their improved strains.

　　II. Growing Conditions

　　Soil types include limestone or purplish-red shale, with sandy loam texture, pH value between 7.0 and 7.8, and organic matter content ≥1.5%.

　　III. Cultivation Management

　　1. Propagation: Using one-year-old healthy branches from superior mother plants of specified varieties for cutting propagation.

　　2. Planting: Planting takes place from March to April each year.

　　3. Planting Density: Up to 835 plants per hectare on flat land; up to 1,250 plants per hectare on mountainous land.

　　4. Fertilization: Primarily organic fertilizer, with no less than 37.5 tons of fully decomposed organic fertilizer applied per hectare annually.

　　5. Environmental and Safety Requirements: The use of pesticides, fertilizers, and other chemicals must comply with national regulations and must not cause environmental pollution.

　　IV. Fruit Harvesting

　　Harvest begins in mid-September to early October, when the seeds are full and the color is white or red. Specific harvesting times for different varieties are as follows:

　　1. Soft Seed No.3: Mid-September.

　　2. Soft Seed No.1, Soft Seed No.2: Late September.

　　3. Green Skin Sweet, Taxian Red, Dark Red Soft, Green Skin Soft Seed: Late September to early October.

　　V. Quality Characteristics

　　1. Sensory Characteristics:

　　Sensory Indicators

　　Variety Name – Skin – Seeds – Taste

　　Soft Seed No.1 – Thin skin, bronze color on the sun-exposed side upon maturity – Colored with red needle-like crystals – Soft edible seeds of premium quality.

　　Soft Seed No.2 – Relatively thick, smooth, greenish with obvious reddish blush – Red seeds with noticeable needle-like crystals – Soft edible seeds of premium quality.

　　Soft-seed No. 3 has relatively thin, bluish-yellow skin. The seeds are greenish-white, with visible radial crystals. The seed kernel is soft and of high quality.

　　Green-skin Sweet features thick skin, a smooth surface, and a bluish-green color with slight reddish-brown on the sun-exposed side. The seeds are bright red or pink and transparent. It has a strong, sweet-slightly acidic flavor with abundant juice. The seed kernel is semi-soft.

　　Tower Fairy Red has a glossy surface with bright red skin, turning brownish-red on the sunlit side. It is relatively soft with longitudinal red lines and clear stripes. The seeds are watermelon-red and transparent. It is juicy, with a sweet-sour taste. There may be a slight astringency when first ripe, but it fades after a few days of storage.

　　Big Red Soft has pinkish skin with purplish-red on the sun-exposed side and star-shaped russeting. The seeds are light red with a semi-soft kernel. It has a sweet-sour taste, no astringency, good mouthfeel, excellent flavor, and top-grade quality.

　　Green-skin Soft-seed has bluish-yellow skin with red or light red on the sun-exposed side and thin skin. The seeds are jagged, large, and reddish-white, with small and soft kernels. It is juicy, very sweet, and of top-grade quality.