Carob

An evergreen tree that grows to a height of 10 m, best grown in temperate regions of Australia. An attractive tree with dense foliage, shiny, green, rounded leaves and the new growth is bronze coloured. They are often used as street trees and are good in an orchard situation. They are a tough drought-tolerant shade tree that also makes an ideal windbreak in our dry climate.

The pods can be eaten fresh or roasted and ground into powder.  One of the world’s best natural sweeteners, the leathery pods are commonly used as a substitute for cocoa and have been cultivated throughout the Mediterranean as a staple food source for thousands of years. They are also a useful fodder feed.

The emerging pod is pale green and turns a dark brown when mature. It is a flattened pod, 13 – 30 cm in length and about 2.5 cm wide, containing a sweet, chocolate tasting pulp and several bean-like seeds. The sugar content of the pods can be as high as 50%.  A healthy alternative for caffeine and chocolate addicts, they are high in antioxidants and vitamin E and help to improve digestive health and lower cholesterol.

Carobs grow in full sun and like dry, rocky sites, tolerating any soil except heavy clay  and, being a member of the legume family, they improve soils too. Carob flowers in the summer with male and female flowers on different trees. Planting five seedlings will usually guarantee at least one of each sex, for pod production. It can take 6 – 7 years for a tree to begin to bear.

Propagation is best undertaken in Spring and Autumn. Before planting seeds it is best to soak them in warm water for three days before planting. Plant the seeds in a deep pot as a long tap root will develop and plant out before it is 10 cm high or use a deep planter bag to allow larger growth. Particular care must be taken during propagation, as carob seed is susceptible to fungal attack by ‘damping off’ soil organisms. The seed raising mix should be sandy and free draining. Using a sterilised seed raising mix to prevent fungal infection may double the seedling survival rate. It is important to avoid over-watering.