The Carob in California

Abstract

The carob, Ceratonia siliqua, a podbearing tree of the legume family, has been grown in California for many years. While the plant will tolerate considerable drought and heat, it is truly a hardy subtropical and will withstand only 18 to 20 degrees F. without serious injury. The development of an extensive root system provides considerable adaptation to drought conditions; hence the tree frequently will survive where other species perish from lack of soil moisture. Adequate commercial production of satisfactory crops is obtained in the Mediterranean region when 12 to 15 acre inches of water are available, although the tree itself will survive on 3 to 4 acre inches per year. Because of the tolerance to these adverse conditions of soil and climate, the potentialities of the carob as a dry-farmed tree crop on otherwise marginal acreage in California have long been contemplated.