Ceratonia siliqua - Carob Tree - 25 seeds

Native to the eastern Mediterranean, Ceratonia siliqua, commonly known as the Carob Tree, is a delightful tree that reaches about 15m tall and can be grown as a single trunked specimen or with multi-trunks. 
 
It has dark green foliage that are quite luminous and the dense individual leaves are divided into four to ten round leaflets to about 5cm in length and width. 
 
It is not known as a flowering tree but it does have unusual and attractive buds and sweetly scented blooms as illustrated and develops heavy dark brown edible pods after blooming and is the source of the chocolate substitute, Carob.
 
Carob is leguminous and is a useful nitrogen fixer, it is drought hardy and will take temperatures to -7°C - commonly accepted in Australia as frost tolerant.  It likes a sunny position in virtually any well-drained soil including saline soil.
 
The meat of the Carob pod is a highly nutritious food for both humans and stock and can be stored indefinitely without deterioration in nutritional value.
 
Carob are dioecious (male & female trees) although hermaphrodites exist.  Sexing of trees cannot be attempted until flowering stage, approximately three to six years, although on soil with a high lime content and a pH of 7.5 or over flowering can occur at four years of age and pod production can be very high.
 
This is a very useful tree that can make an effective and different windbreak, an attractive hedge or an interesting Bonsai subject.  It is easily grown and is a clean friendly tree that has commercial potential both as a food or fodder source and as a nitrogen fixer.
 
25 premium quality seeds shipped on receipt of cleared funds.