📖 Pom Secrets: Turning Don't Starve's 'Worst' Crop Into MVP
Pomegranate in Don't Starve
Your comprehensive guide to farming, cooking, and strategic use of this underrated healing fruit
Introduction – The Odd Fruit Out
Pomegranates in Don't Starve (and Don't Starve Together) are a bit of an oddity. They're a rare fruit that must be intentionally farmed – you won't just find these lying around in the wild. Many players misspell it as "pomegranite" when searching for info, but however you spell it, this fruit often leaves players scratching their heads.
With no exclusive recipes and relatively low hunger yield, the Pomegranate is sometimes dubbed "the single-worst crop in the entire game" by the community. Harsh as that sounds, Pomegranates do have their uses: notably, they offer a big chunk of health restoration when prepared properly.
This guide will cover everything about Pomegranates in both the original Don't Starve and Don't Starve Together – where to find or grow them, how to cook them, their role in Crock Pot recipes, nutritional values, farming strategies, spoilage and storage, and when it actually makes sense to use a Pomegranate in your survival strategy.
Quick Facts
- Can only be obtained through farming (no wild sources)
- Cooked version provides significant healing (+20 Health)
- Wortox's favorite food in Don't Starve Together
- No unique Crock Pot recipe (always acts as generic fruit)
- Grows best in Spring and Summer in DST
Finding & Farming Pomegranates
Where to Find Pomegranates
In the base Don't Starve game (and Reign of Giants DLC), the only way to obtain a Pomegranate is through farming. You can't forage it from the world (no wild Pomegranate trees or bushes exist).
Random Farm Crop (DS)
Planting generic Seeds on a farm plot has about a 5% chance to grow a Pomegranate. This works on both Basic and Improved Farm plots.
Birdcage Method
Feed a harvested Pomegranate to a caged Bird to get 1-2 Pomegranate Seeds (always 1 in DST). Plant these for guaranteed Pomegranate growth.
Tumbleweeds (RoG/DST)
In Reign of Giants and DST, Tumbleweeds in the Desert biome can rarely drop specific crop seeds, including Pomegranate seeds.
Don't Starve Together Farming (Post-Update)
Farming works differently after the Reap What You Sow update in DST. You'll need to plant seeds in tilled soil using a Garden Hoe.
Pomegranate Branch (DST Crop)
A fully grown Pomegranate Branch in Don't Starve Together
In DST, Pomegranates grow on a viney plant called a Pomegranate Branch. It's a green leafy plant with a single large red pomegranate fruit hanging from it.
The plant goes through several growth stages: seedling, sprout, small vine, full vine with fruit. If you hover with a Gardeneer Hat, you can inspect its progress and needs.
Growth Time & Care
- Under ideal conditions, a Pomegranate takes several in-game days to grow
- Preferred seasons: Spring and Summer (grows slower in Autumn, struggles in Winter)
- Water the plant regularly with a Watering Can
- Keep the plot weeded and free of stress factors
- Plant Pomegranates in groups of 3 for happiness buff
- Consider using Growth Formula fertilizer if replanting the same spot
Giant Pomegranates
If you completely pamper your crop (all needs met, zero stress, and let it grow an extra stage), you can get a Giant Pomegranate! This huge fruit yields about 2–3 regular Pomegranates when smashed.
Pro Farming Tip
The most practical everyday method: get one Pomegranate (via random chance or trade), feed it to a bird for seeds, and then farm with those specific seeds to ensure a steady supply.
Stats: Raw vs Cooked Pomegranate
Before you bite into this fruit, know what you're getting! Pomegranates have different effects depending on whether you eat them raw or cook them (yielding a "Sliced Pomegranate").
Raw Pomegranate
Raw Pomegranate is roughly as filling as a carrot or cooked berry, which is to say, not very. Health-wise, +3 HP is a tiny nibble of healing.
Cooked Pomegranate
By roasting it, you turn a Pomegranate into a mini-healing item on par with Healing Salve (20 HP). The trade-off: cooking halves the shelf life compared to raw.
Wortox's Favorite Food
In DST, the imp Wortox has Pomegranate as his favorite food. This grants an extra +15 hunger when eaten by him (before his food penalty).
However, Wortox has a permanent modifier where food only gives him half hunger. The net result:
- Raw Pomegranate: ~12 hunger total for Wortox
- Cooked Pomegranate: ~13.75 hunger total for Wortox
This is still quite small compared to his 175 max hunger, making it mostly a lore reference than a strategic advantage.
The Bottom Line:
Imagine a raw Pomegranate as a small snack (like a berry) with a tiny health perk, whereas a cooked Pomegranate is like a first-aid fruit – not filling, but restorative. Most survivors will want to cook this fruit before eating to take advantage of that juicy health boost.
Cooking with Pomegranate – Crock Pot Recipes
Pomegranates can be tossed into a Crock Pot as an ingredient in various recipes. However – and this is important – there is no signature dish for Pomegranates. Unlike Dragonfruit (which makes Dragonpie) or Pumpkin (which makes Pumpkin Cookies), Pomegranate doesn't have a dedicated recipe where it's the star.
Fist Full of Jam
Ingredients:
Fruit Medley
Ingredients:
Trail Mix
Ingredients:
Warly's Special Recipes
Warly (DST) has exclusive dishes that can use Pomegranate as a component:
Fresh Fruit Crepes
Glow Berry Mousse
No "Pomegranate Pie"
It's worth reiterating: unlike Dragonfruit (which gets Dragonpie) or even Durian (Monster Tartare), Pomegranate got no love in the recipe department. Currently, no recipe in Don't Starve or DST requires Pomegranate specifically - it's always just a generic fruit filler.
Cooking Tip
If your goal is health restoration, often it's better not to crock-pot your Pomegranate. Cooking it on a fire gives 20 HP instantly. Most fruit recipes won't yield more health than that. Veteran players eat cooked Pomegranates straight for healing, and save Crock Pot for hunger-efficient recipes.
Advanced Farming in DST (Seasons, Nutrients & Giant Crops)
Farming got a lot deeper in Don't Starve Together with the Reap What You Sow update. Let's discuss how Pomegranates fit into the advanced mechanics of DST farming:
Favorite Seasons
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter
In DST, Pomegranate grows fastest in Spring and Summer with lowest chance of stress. In Autumn growth slows, and in Winter it practically halts without additional heat sources.
Nutrient Consumption
What This Means:
- Pomegranate drains Growth Formula heavily
- Replanting in the same plot repeatedly will deplete this nutrient
- Without replenishment, crops become stunted
- The plant does return some Compost and Manure to the soil
Self-Sustaining Crop Combinations
Farmers solve nutrient depletion by using complementary crop combinations. Here are ideal pairings for Pomegranate:
Pomegranate + Watermelon
Watermelon adds Growth Formula (+4) while consuming mostly Compost/Manure. This creates a near-perfect balance with Pomegranate's opposite nutrient profile.
Pomegranate + Corn
Corn consumes Manure/Compost and contributes some Growth Formula back to the soil. This helps balance what Pomegranate uses.
Growth Formula Fertilizer
If crop rotation is too complex, simply apply Growth Formula fertilizer after each harvest before replanting Pomegranates.
Tending for Giant Crops
Requirements for Giant Pomegranates
- Water: Keep plants watered, especially in Summer
- Weeds: Remove all weeds that appear nearby
- Family: Plant in clusters of 3 for happiness buff
- Tending: Talk to plants with Garden Hoe or play music
- Stress: Keep stress factors at 0-1 (check with Gardeneer Hat)
- Patience: Wait for an extra growth stage after fruit appears
A perfectly tended giant Pomegranate can weigh up to ~548 units on a Produce Scale, though average giants weigh closer to 404 units.
Giant Pomegranate Yield
- Yields 2-3 regular Pomegranates when hammered
- Provides 2 Pomegranate seeds
- Can be preserved with Wax Paper for decoration
- Giants can be entered in produce competitions
Farming Efficiency Tip
For optimal farming, experienced players dedicate most garden space to high-impact crops (Dragonfruit, Potato, Tomato), with just a small section for Pomegranates if healing is needed. Consider specializing one giant crop type per season to maximize soil nutrients.
Storage & Spoilage
You've harvested some nice Pomegranates – now how do you keep them fresh and use them efficiently?
Spoilage Timers
Raw Pomegranate
Cooked Pomegranate
Most food in Don't Starve follows the rule that cooking it shortens how long it stays good. Pomegranate is no exception.
Preservation Methods
Ice Box
Slows spoilage by 50%. Essential for long-term storage of Pomegranates.
Bundling Wrap (DST)
Completely pauses spoilage. Wrap Pomegranates for indefinite storage and emergency healing stashes.
Cook on Demand Strategy
Store Pomegranates raw, and only cook them right before you need the healing boost.
Using Spoiled Pomegranates
Let's say you forgot them and they rotted. All is not lost – Rot is a valuable resource:
Basic Fertilizer
Rot can be used to restore some nutrients to farm soil or fertilize berry bushes.
Crafting Component
Rot is used in crafting Booster Shots (to restore max health in DST) and Mushroom Planter recipes.
Compost Production
In DST, you can deliberately let Pomegranates rot to create fertilizer for your next crop cycle.
Storage Strategy
Treat Pomegranates like a small health pack: keep it "sealed" (raw/cold) until you need it, then "activate" (cook) and use promptly. By managing spoilage, you ensure that when you do need that clutch heal, it hasn't turned to Rot.
Using Pomegranates Strategically
Now we come to the million-dollar question: In a game all about not starving (and not dying), when and why should you bother with Pomegranates?
Emergency Healing
The clearest benefit of Pomegranate is instant health when cooked. Being able to restore +20 HP by just clicking an item is huge, especially in early game or in the middle of combat.
Combat Scenario
Two cooked Pomegranates eaten back-to-back restore 40 HP, which is like equipping a second Log Suit's worth of protection in a fight.
Supplemental Food
Pomegranates are okay as food but not great. A single cooked Pomegranate gives 12.5 hunger - roughly the same as a cooked carrot and far less than other meals.
Hunger Comparison
You're wasting Pomegranate's potential if you're eating them for hunger while at max health. Reserve them primarily for healing.
Comparative Value
Let's pit a Pomegranate against some common items to clarify its place:
Cooked Pomegranate vs Healing Salve
- Both provide +20 HP
- Pomegranate adds +12.5 Hunger
- Healing Salve doesn't spoil
- Salve requires spider glands (combat)
- Pomegranates are renewable without fighting
Cooked Pomegranate vs Blue Caps
- Both provide +20 HP
- Blue Caps cost -15 Sanity
- Pomegranates don't affect sanity
- Blue Caps can be foraged
- Pomegranates need farming investment
Cooked Pomegranate vs Pierogi
- Pierogi provides +40 HP (double)
- Pierogi provides +37.5 Hunger (triple)
- Pierogi requires egg, meat, veggie
- Pomegranate needs just fire to cook
- Pierogi is better if you have supplies
Cooked Pomegranate vs Dragonpie
- Dragonpie provides +40 HP (double)
- Dragonpie provides +75 Hunger (6x!)
- Dragonpie adds +5 Sanity
- Dragonpie needs just one Dragonfruit
- If you can farm Dragonfruit, do that instead
When to Use Pomegranates
Use Pomegranates When:
- You need healing and have no better healing foods ready
- You have an abundance of them from farming
- Playing as/with a vegetarian character like Wurt
- Diversifying your food supply
- Taking on a boss with limited healing options
Don't Use Pomegranates When:
- You're at full health and have better hunger foods
- You are playing as Wigfrid (she can't eat fruits)
- You're overloaded with better healing options
- You have limited farm space (prioritize dragonfruit)
- You need sanity restoration (use other foods)
Final Analysis
Pomegranates occupy a niche role: the grow-your-own health kit. They won't keep you fed alone, and they won't impress the Pig King, but they just might save your life after a spider queen mauls you – and that counts for something in Don't Starve.
Character-Specific Notes
Different characters have unique relationships with Pomegranates. Here's how they interact:
Wigfrid
Wigfrid is a strict carnivore and refuses to eat any fruit or vegetable, including Pomegranates. She has zero use for them, except maybe to feed a bird for seeds to give to other players.
Wortox
Despite Pomegranate being Wortox's favorite food, his half-hunger penalty means he still only gets:
- Raw: ~12 hunger total (with favorite bonus)
- Cooked: ~13.75 hunger total
With his 175 max hunger, this is still inefficient. Wortox is better off eating souls for hunger and using souls to heal. The Pomegranate preference is mostly a lore reference (to the Persephone myth).
Wurt
As a vegetarian, Wurt can't eat meat-based healing foods like Pierogi. A cooked Pomegranate is an excellent healing item for her, providing 20 health without any dietary restrictions. It fits her swampy, vegetarian theme nicely too!
Wormwood
As a plant, Wormwood doesn't gain HP from eating any food. A cooked Pomegranate gives him hunger but 0 health (due to his downside).
If you're playing as Wormwood, you might still farm Poms for teammates or to convert them to Rot for your Compost Wraps - which are your primary healing items.
Maxwell/Wickerbottom
These characters have lower health, so a 20 HP heal is proportionally more impactful for them.
Maxwell only has 75 max HP – a cooked Pomegranate restores over a quarter of his health bar! Wickerbottom can also grow crops quickly with her Applied Horticulture book, making pomegranates more accessible.
Other Characters
Generally, any character can use a cooked Pomegranate as a quick heal. Others like Wilson, Willow, Webber, etc. have no special relationships with this fruit, but can all benefit from its healing properties when needed.
Patch History
Here's a timeline of notable changes to Pomegranates in Don't Starve and DST:
2013 – Original Release
Pomegranate was introduced as one of the basic farmable crops in the initial game. Farming was very simple: plant Seeds, random chance for each crop. Pomegranate's stats (3 HP raw, 20 HP cooked) were set and have remained consistent.
2014 – Reign of Giants DLC
No direct changes to Pomegranate's mechanics, but RoG added Tumbleweeds that could drop rare Pomegranate Seeds, giving another avenue to find this fruit without farming.
2016 – Don't Starve Together
Initially, DST's farming was identical to single-player. Pomegranate functioned the same as always. The main DST difference then was feeding a bird always returns 1 specific seed (no chance for 2), slightly nerfing seed output.
Nov 2020 – "Reap What You Sow" Update
- Introduced the Pomegranate Branch plant in DST
- Implemented seasons preference (Spring/Summer) and nutrient system
- Added Giant Pomegranate mechanics
- No change to food stats, but farming context changed significantly
March 2021 – QoL Update
Klei introduced Favorite Foods for each character. Pomegranate was designated as Wortox's favorite food, granting him an extra hunger boost when eating it. This was more of a fun flavor update than a major gameplay change.
2021–Present
No significant changes during character refreshes or content updates. Pomegranate continues to be the same trusty fruit. Community discussions have highlighted the lack of a unique recipe, but Klei hasn't addressed this as of June 2025.
Future Possibilities
Players have speculated about potential future uses for Pomegranate, such as a pomegranate juice recipe or even an explosive "pom-grenade" (inspired by mythology or Shipwrecked's coconut bombs). Until then, its role remains that of a humble healing fruit.
References
- • Don't Starve Wiki – "Pomegranate" (item description, farming odds, stats)
- • Don't Starve Together Wiki – "Pomegranate Branch", "Crop Combinations" (DST farming details)
- • Klei Forums – Community discussions on Pomegranate recipes and potential uses
- • Steam Guide – "Reap What You Sow Guide" (nutrient values and season combos)
- • Reddit – Various threads on crop tier lists and character food preferences
- • In-game testing and personal experience
Last updated: June 13, 2025