Ghost Pomagranate

Specially cultivated pomegranate trees that grow in the Astral Plane.  As the Astral plane has no nutrients (due to being the plane of the dead) the plants must draw from the energy of the Sea of Souls in order to grow.

Basic Information

Anatomy

Ghost pomegranate trees have spindly trunks and broad canopies similar to their normal counterparts, but the leaves are a transparent grey, and the trunks are a deep black, so the trees are reminiscent of wraiths.  The fruit is an even brighter red than normal pomegranate trees, the color of fresh, dripping blood.

Genetics and Reproduction

The trees are all descended from the six original trees that sprouted from seeds that the Raven Queen brought with her while setting up her castle in the Astral Plane.  Pollination must be done manually, as there are no pollinators in the Astral Plane, and the trees are all closely related, and so must be carefully bred for genetic diversity.

Growth Rate & Stages

Ghost pomegranates operate on a unique time scale; plant the seed from one on the shores of the Sea of Souls, and it will rapidly sprout and grow, transforming into a full grown tree before your eyes.  Once it has reached its full size, over the course of a single hour, it will settle into a holding pattern, producing a single fruit approximately once a day, although it hard to tell for sure due to the lack of environmental cues in the Astral Plane.

Dietary Needs and Habits

Ghost pomegranate has a unique nutrient source; instead of the usual plant photosynthesis, ghost pomegranates draw nutrients from the Sea of Souls. As souls rest in the sea, their memories of their time on the Material Plane are gradually worn away, and the trees can draw those memories up through their roots and use them to fuel their growth. This does have a few side effects; when the leaves brush against each other, you can vaguely hear the whispers of those long dead. And those who do eat the pomegranates from the trees find that each seed holds a memory, bursting bright against their tongue.

Scientific Name

Punica granatum var. exspiravit

Conservation Status

Domesticated cultivar that requires magical intervention to sustain