If you live in hardiness zones 9 to 11 and want to successfully grow a shade tree without too much hassle, a carob (Ceratonia siliqua) would seem to be ideal. It originates in the Mediterranean ...

The carob tree, scientifically known as Ceratonia siliqua, is a resilient evergreen plant native to the Mediterranean region. Traditionally, carob has been utilized primarily for animal feed ...

Wikipedia tells me that carob powder is made from the pods of the carob tree, native to the Mediterranean. The seeds are used to make locust bean gum, a commonly used food thickener.