CAROBS

Ceratonia siliqua

A seven year old carob tree. This tree has been producing fruit for the past 3 years

Carob flowers - The carob flowers are produced from older stems.

Carob hedge - The carob tree makes a dense hedge and provides shelter for animals.

Mature carob bean is from 10 to 20 centimetres long. It is a dark brown colour when dry. The flesh of the bean is eaten by most farm animals.

This magnificent plant has a long history of nourishing animals and humans during hard times.

A Multi-purpose Hobby Farm Plant

Thought to have originated from the Middle East and once known as “St. John’s Bread” it is now increasing in popularity throughout the world in temperate and the drier sub-tropical regions. This tough and long-lived plant will grow in most climates and soils, but in humid regions fruit quality will be poor.

Able to survive extremely dry conditions once the tap-root is established, the carob can serve as a windbreak and source of food and timber for more than a hundred years. Fruit production will however will be poor under very severe conditions.

Growing up to 10 metres this dense plant will form a tall hedge if not pruned. For fruit production however, good air circulation is needed and the lower limbs should be removed.

Fruit Production

Trees that can produce fruit on their own are known as hermaphrodites. Not all carob trees are hermaphrodites as most carob trees are either male or female and only female trees produce fruit while male trees produce only pollen.

Modern varieties with a fruit sugar content above 50% have been selected and hermaphrodite varieties now mean only one plant is needed in order to obtain a crop. The pulp can be fermented for alcohol production as well as for health products while seeds yield resins and additives for industrial use.

I quite like the flavour of carobs and look forward to trying the varieties now planted on the farm. These include the hermaphrodites Santa Fe and Clifford as well as other varieties such as Waite, Casuda and the sweetest variety-Sfax.

A Plant With Great Features

Should we have humid weather I expect some rotting of fruit, but the great features of this plant make its inclusion on the hobby farm worth the large space required.

Being a legume there has been speculation about the carob’s ability to fix nitrogen in the soil, but the consensus appears to be that it will not do so. However, this plant’s deep tap-root will certainly bring nutrients from deep underground to the surface via falling leaves.

Animals love carobs and would certainly be content to graze under such a beautiful and shady tree. Expect a bountiful crop of fruit once these trees are established!