PlantFiles: Carob, St. John's Bread
Ceratonia siliqua

Flowers stink! I can't stand their odor!
Well trained (trimmed) it can look really nice!
It's easy to grow from seed but it doesn't tolerate transplantation well.

I have grown a lot of these from seed. I have a greenhouse or they probably would not make it through our winter even in a zone eight. The seeds I use are collected by a relative in Arizona - I let the pods dry and then remove the seeds. No stratifying. Scarification is simple - soak overnight in warm water (dish of water on gro-mat).

I have found this plant very easy to grow, but growth is slow. It is very sad to have grown your plant for a few years, see the first blooms and have deer/cows eat it to the ground overnight because the gate was open. It will take a light frost. I think it is hardy in the warmer parts of zone 9. And it also makes a very pretty houseplant. The leaves are unusual and new leaves are red. The blooms are also red, but small.

This tree is used as a street tree in many Moroccan cities. It's thick leaves seem to resist pollution.

Note: it is the dried seed-pods and not the seeds themselves which are ground for carob powder.