Carob, Ceratonia siliqua is a medium -sized slow growing, evergreen tree with silvery-green leaves, and it is also known as the locust of the desert  St John the Baptist Bread It is found growing wild in the drier regions of the Mediterranean where it is valued as much as a shade, soil stabilizer and useful stock fodder tree as much as for its sweet fruit (15 cm long pots). It is a useful tree for the dry and perennially drought stricken areas. This is a true survival tree.

The leaves of the carob tree are 15-20 cm long, shiny dark-green above and pale-green underneath. Flowers are usually red in color and there are three types: male, female and hermaphrodite flowers. Carobs produce a crop of dark brown, flattened pots containing a sweet, chocolate tasting pulp and several bean-like seeds.

Carob Fruit (Pots) – Seeds

The pots are used in a similar manner to cocoa, in cakes, drinks, ice-cream but they can also be eaten raw. They contain approximately 25% to 48% carbohydrates and 6% protein. A 20 years old tree can produce more than 100 kg of beans but only on female trees. Beans are ripe in late spring to mid-summer. It bears in 4 years and it needs high summer temperatures to mature the beans.

Carob is a cold hardy tree that grows well with little care and attention. The bark and roots have medicinal uses and the timber is suitable for furniture or fuel. An edible gum is extracted from seeds and it is used as a stabilizer, thickening agent and as egg substitute. Seeds when roasted can be used as a coffee substitute.

Carob Propagation Methods

The Carob can be propagated from seed quite easily however; it will be best if butted to superior varieties when outside its place of origin.

carob, Ceratonia siliqua

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