Most common supermarket variety is 'Wonderful', which some people grow here in Raleigh (zone 7b). I think it would rather be in zone 8, so some winters might damage it.

I find them all to be kinda tender that first winter outdoors so I would protect them with plastic or frost cloth and I would keep the potted ones inside in case you lose the outdoor ones.

Tammy should chime in sooon - she's the pom' expert and I believe she has a 'Wonderful' in her yard.

Thanks so much, John. I will do as you say. (Is there actually such a thing as "frost cloth" or do you just mean to cover with a cloth?)
Kat

There is a plastic-y felt-y cloth sold as frost cloth. There is also a product called Remay - all feel like they are made of plastic, all are pretty much white. All of these products come in different weights with the thicker versions being very white and the thinner versions being kinda clear. Some garden centers will have it, most often in a package that will cover 10 feet of plants. If you want to buy a bunch of it I believe Southern States (closest one to Raleigh is in Carrboro) sells it by the foot or at least in longer measurements than the little packages.

Thanks again, John! I will check it out.

Kat

tammy, chiming in. :) I had a 'sweet', not 'wonderful'. and it up and died fairly suddenly this year- no idea why- but i'd been lucky enough to take cuttings early this spring, so i have it to plant again. It's depressing, though, because it took probably at least 5 years to fruit. sigh. I agree with john that they are extra tender the first year or 2. I'd definitely overwinter a couple in a cool space- garage, basement, or the like; a bit of frost is fine, but protected from the really cold temps and wind. Just let it go dormant, water maybe 3x through the winter. Then, in spring plant it. Plan to protect it the first winter in the ground- i think i'd do something along the lines of a bunch of leaves around the crown and burlap or a large planter upside down. Kind of depends on how big it gets. It will resprout from the roots if it's gotten enough ground time in before frost, even if the top branches die back. I'd also figure on at least a few years before you get fruit. It seems like the plant takes a couple years to get to the point that the stems are hardy enough to winter over. The first set of blooms are what you get fruit from, so if you lose wood in the winter, which is really common the first few years, you'll still get flowers on the new growth, but the fruit won't have time to develop, even if any sets. This is all for standard sized poms. The minis can set fruit mid way through the season and seem to be hardier to me. BUT my mini, 'nana', is sour as lemons. You can still use the pips- but you'll have to do something other than just eating them out of hand unless you love incredibly sour stuff. Oh, and i'm really not sure how true they come from seed, so you could get anything. Good luck!

Tammy, thanks for commenting. I will be sure to put some in my potting shed. It will be exciting when I get fruit, but I think the flowers are almost as exciting, and even before then the bush is attractive with its glossy leaves. All this is to say I guess I'll be able to wait 5 years.
Thanks.

Well, hopefully, it'll be before 5 years. pick up a nana and you'll get fruit the first year. :) same gorgeous flowers on an itty bitty bush.