Carob Tree

The Carob Tree (Ceratonia siliqua) is the evergreen shade tree for the hard end of a garden: dry, hot, salty and poor soil are all within its range. It reaches around 8m tall and 7m wide in a home garden, with dark glossy foliage that stays put all year. The long brown pods are edible, roasted and ground as a chocolate substitute.

Why you'll love it

• It handles what kills other trees. Drought, heat, salt laden wind and poor soil are all tolerated once it is established.
• Evergreen shade, no leaf litter season. The canopy holds through winter, so shade and screening do not disappear for half the year.
• An edible crop from an ornamental tree. Carob pods are roasted and ground into a caffeine free cocoa alternative.
• Genuinely low maintenance. Slow and steady growth means little pruning, and a mature tree asks for almost no water.

Where it works best

Shade tree. A 7m spread over a lawn or a courtyard gives dense year round shade. Allow at least 5m from the house so the canopy has room without touching the roof.

Coastal gardens. Salt tolerance means it can go closer to the water than most shade trees, in gardens where salt burn spoils softer foliage.

Windbreak. Plant 5m to 6m apart in a row so the canopies knit into a filtering screen at maturity. Being evergreen, that shelter works in winter as well as summer.

Growing Carob Tree in Australia

Position and climate. Full sun, and the more of it the better. This tree belongs in Mediterranean, warm temperate, subtropical, and arid and semi-arid gardens. It takes light frost only, so cool temperate districts and frost hollows will check it.

Soil. Poor, shallow and rocky ground is fine, which is the whole point of this tree. What it will not accept is soil that stays wet, so plant high on heavy clay.

Water and feed. Deep soak fortnightly through the first two summers to get the roots down, then step right back. Established trees need very little, and feeding is unnecessary beyond a spring compost topping while it is young.

Pruning. Decide early whether you want a single trunk or a multi stemmed form, because carob branches low by nature. Remove the lower limbs progressively for clearance and otherwise leave it be.

What to expect when it arrives

This is supplied in a 400mm pot, a well grown young tree with a formed framework rather than a whip. Given how slowly carob grows, starting at this size saves several years, which is why the price sits where it does.

Expect a quiet first year while the roots move into the surrounding soil, then slow, reliable growth. Plants are delivered Australia wide, with delivery from $29.95. Advanced and large stock is freighted at cost, and every plant is covered by our 30 day healthy plant guarantee.

Plant care guides and related reading

• Plants for coastal and salt exposed gardens
• Compare drought tolerant plants
• What actually grows in poor soil
• Browse edible plants and trees

Common questions

Will my tree produce carob pods?

Not necessarily. Carob usually carries male and female flowers on separate trees, so a single tree may turn out male and never set pods, and fruiting takes several years regardless. Plant it for the shade and treat any crop as a bonus.

How fast does it grow?

Slowly, and that is the honest answer. Reaching 8m is a project measured in decades rather than seasons, which is why most people start with an advanced pot size.

Can I plant it near the beach?

Yes. It is salt tolerant and copes with coastal exposure better than most shade trees, though a young plant still benefits from a season of shelter while it settles.

Will it survive frost?

Light frost only. A few degrees below zero on an established tree is survivable, but regular hard frosts or a cold inland site will damage it, and young trees are the most vulnerable.