The carob is a small tree from the Mediterranean area. It will grow in a wide variety of soils and climates as long as it is not waterlogged. The young trees are frost sensitive but mature trees are frost tolerant, and the tree is drought tolerant and will even grow in slightly salty soils. Carobs grow big seed pods that start green like in the picture and gradually turn dark, wrinkly brown over a year and then fall off. Carobs are related to peas.

Carob seedpods are sweet and can be dried, roasted and ground and used to make a chocolate substitute.