Pomegranate Tree Colouring

The pomegranate is a small tree or shrub native from parts of western and southern Asia into the Mediterranean region. People have grown it for thousands of years for its beautiful flowers and seed-filled fruit. It usually reaches about 3 to 6 metres, forming many slender branches and narrow glossy leaves. In warm spring or summer, brilliant trumpet-shaped flowers open. Their thick calyx remains on the developing fruit and becomes the little crown at its tip. Round pomegranates ripen in late summer or autumn. Inside, hundreds of juicy seed coverings, called arils, sit in pale chambers. A well-kept pomegranate can live for many decades, and some specimens are much older than a century. Bees and butterflies visit the flowers. Bulbuls and other birds use the branches and may sample split ripe fruit, while fallen arils feed insects. The scene includes a friendly bulbul, a butterfly, crown-shaped fruits, late blossoms and one safely opened fruit on the ground so children can see the jewel-like pattern. Pomegranate branches may have thorns. Pick fruit with an adult, wash it before opening and take care because the juice can stain clothes. The hard outer rind is not eaten, and spoiled fallen fruit should be left for compost or wildlife rather than tasted. Colour ripe pomegranates ruby red, crimson, rosy pink or warm yellow, depending on your chosen variety. Darken the little crown and one side of each fruit, leaving a lighter highlight. Inside the cut fruit, use red, magenta, coral or purple for the many arils and cream for the dividing membranes. Leaves can be fresh green with a few autumn yellow touches. The trumpet flowers may be orange-red, and the trunk can be tan or grey-brown. A bulbul can have brown wings, a dark head and a small red or yellow patch; repeat two colours across the butterfly's matching wings. Use pale beige for dry grass, honey tones for the wall and soft blue for the open sky. Broad circles work well on the fruits, while tiny careful strokes suit the arils. Keep the background light so the crowned pomegranates remain the clearest and most exciting autumn shapes.

◫ A4 size✎ Bold outlines♡ Ages 3–8

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Make it an activity

Choose a favourite colour palette
Add a simple background
Display the finished artwork

Grown-up note: Please supervise printing and choose age-appropriate art materials.