Carob tree

Carob Tree

The Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua), also known as the locust tree or St John's-bread, is a species of flowering evergreen shrub or tree in the pea family, Fabaceae. It is native to the Mediterranean region and the Middle East.

Description

The Carob Tree is an evergreen tree that can grow up to 15 meters tall. The leaves are pinnate, with 6-10 leaflets, each leaflet 2–4 cm long and 1–2 cm broad. The flowers are small, actinomorphic, and borne in racemes. The fruit is a pod that can be elongated, compressed, straight or curved, and thickened at the sutures.

Cultivation and Uses

The Carob Tree is cultivated for its edible pods, and as an ornamental tree in gardens. The ripe, dried pods are often ground into a powder, which is used as a substitute for chocolate. The seeds, also known as locust beans, are used as animal feed, and also to make locust bean gum, a thickening agent in food technology.

Ecology

The Carob Tree is well adapted to the ecological conditions of the Mediterranean. It can withstand drought conditions and has a broad tolerance to different types of soils, including those with low fertility.

Cultural Significance

In the Bible, the Carob Tree is mentioned as the tree whose pods the Prodigal Son desired to eat in his hunger. In some Christian traditions, it is believed that John the Baptist subsisted on carob pods in the wilderness, hence the name "St John's-bread".

See Also

• List of plants in the Bible
• Mediterranean agriculture
• Locust bean gum

References

• Flora of the Mediterranean: An Illustrated Guide, by Christopher Brickell and Judith D. Zuk (1996)
• Trees of the Middle East, by Tony Russell, Catherine Cutler, and Martin Walters (2005)

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