The name pomegranate comes from the Latin for “fruit of many seeds.” Because of its numerous seeds and its red colour, the pomegranate has been linked with fertility since ancient times. Originating in Persia, the pomegranate appears in the folklore of ancient Egypt, where it was used in burial, and in the myth of the Persephone, Demeter, and the cycle of the seasons in Greek mythology. Snacking on pomegranate is laborious, as the edible seeds must be selected almost one by one to avoid the bitter-tasting membranes that house them. Pomegranates are about the size of an apple and have leathery, rosy-red skin; the trees grow well in India, Iran, and parts of the United States.