Family: Fabaceae

Carob is a large tree that produces edible pods. The round crown is densely packed with glossy, green, leathery foliage.

Native to the Mediterranean and Middle Eastern regions of the world, carob thrives in arid climates. It has been cultivated since antiquity. In the old days, the beans were the original carat weight for jewelers and apothecaries. It was thought that individual beans were of a standard weight. Eventually, the carat became standardized at .2 grams.

A member of the pea family, carob is a pono nitrogen fixer. It makes an excellent shade tree for hot, dry areas. As a dioecious tree, both male and female trees must be pollinated to produce viable seeds-hand pollinate when bees aren’t enough. It reaches reproductive maturity in about ten years and peaks in 20 to 25 years. It takes a year to develop the long, brown, curved pods. Harvesting can be tricky as the fruit and flowers are present at the same time. Damaging the flowers will result in a low yield the following year. After harvest, the pods are dried, kibbled, and powdered. Today, carob is sold in health food stores as a chocolate substitute. Another product locust bean gum is made from the pods, it is used as a thickening agent and stabilizer, and gluten substitute

Plant Uses:

• Edible
• Nitrogen fixer
• Ornamental
• Shade

Plant Dangers:

• No dangers

High Risk Traits:

• Naturalized beyond native range
  
• Weed in gardens and urban areas
  
• Tolerates wide range of soils
  
• Nitrogen-fixing tree
  
• Produces viable seeds
  
• Intentionally dispersed by people
  
• Seeds spread via mulch and produce
  
• Water-dispersed propagules
  
• Seeds survive animal digestion
  
• Forms a persistent seed bank
  
• Tolerates mutilation and fire

Low Risk Traits:

• Not an agricultural or forestry weed
  
• No spines or thorns
  
• Non-allelopathic
  
• Non-toxic to animals
  
• Not a major pest host
  
• Generally non-toxic to humans
  
• Does not form dense thickets
  
• Not self-compatible (mostly dioecious)
  
• No dispersal by vegetative fragmentation
  
• Not dispersed by wind or birds
  
• Not a prolific seed producer
  
• Susceptible to herbicides