Fauna
Plant

Carob Tree

Ceratonia siliqua

Also known as St. John's Bread, Locust Bean, Locust Tree

Carob trees are robust, slow-growing evergreens that anchor Mediterranean scrublands with deep taproots and dense, glossy foliage. Small, red-tinted flowers emerge directly from older branches and trunk wood in autumn, relying largely on wind and insects for pollination. The resulting leathery, dark brown pods take nearly a full year to mature, providing a critical late-season food source for woodland rodents and foraging ungulates.

EvergreenDrought-TolerantFlowering
Carob Tree reference1 / 7
(c) Tony Rebelo, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Tony Rebelo · cc-by-sa
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Least ConcernConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXLeast ConcernRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyAutotrophic (photosynthesis)
Predators
  • Goats
  • Carob Moth
  • Rodents
ThreatsHabitat loss from coastal development, soil-borne fungal pathogens, and severe prolonged freezing events
HabitatsMediterranean woodland, maquis, rocky slopes, coastal scrub, and agricultural orchards
Life span100–200 years
Classification
  1. OrderFabales
  2. FamilyFabaceae
  3. GenusCeratonia
  4. SpeciesCeratonia siliqua
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Wild pods and seeds have toxic look-alikes; never eat wild plants based on app identification alone.
Responsible observation
  • Field Identification: Examine the pinnate leaves, which feature two to five pairs of thick, rounded, dark green leaflets.
  • Seasonal Timing: Watch for cauliflorous, spike-like blossom clusters blooming directly on mature woody bark during autumn.
Related species
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