Today I saw that the St. John's Bread trees are in flower. Most Carob trees are dioicous or in other words either male or female. There are some that are hermaphroditic having both female and male flowers. The flowers look like little cat-kins. The pods are curly or straight thicker where the seeds are.
Carob Tree Female
Carob Tree Male
The word carob comes from Arabic. The seeds are always all the same weight and were used to determine the weight of gemstones and this is where the word "carat' comes from.
It grows wild in the Mediterranean and is drought resistant.
The seeds are also used as a chocolate substitute finely grounded. The pods can also be used as animal fodder. Does any one know of any others growing in Bermuda?
