The pomegranate is usually a small, bush-like tree but may sometimes grow as a large, branching shrub or small tree reaching a height of 6.1 to 9.1 meters (20 to 30 feet). The branches often have thorns. The showy bell-like flowers are usually bright red, though sometimes yellow or white.
The round fruit is as large as an orange or medium-sized apple. It has a hard outer skin of bright red or yellowish color when ripe. The top of the fruit has dry flower parts that look like a crown. Inside the fruit is a crimson juicy pulp with many red seeds embedded in it.
The flowers of the pomegranate likely served as a pattern for the golden bells mentioned in Exodus 28:33–34 and 39:24–26, and the open flowers described in 1 Kings 6:32. The upright parts on top of the fruit served as a model for the crowns of kings.
The pomegranate originally comes from Asia, but it has been grown since very ancient times. It is now quite common in the region of Palestine, in Egypt, and along the shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is listed as one of the pleasant fruits of Egypt (Numbers 20:5). It is also listed as one of the promised blessings of the land of Canaan (Deuteronomy 8:8).