The sprawling caper bush

The caper bush (Capparis spinosa), source of beloved pickled capers, is a perennial shrub that bears rounded, fleshy leaves and large white to pinkish-white flowers and ovoid fruits. The plant is best known for the edible flower buds (capers), often used as a seasoning, and the fruit (caper berries), both of which are usually consumed pickled. Other species of Capparis are also picked along with C. spinosa for their buds or fruits.

The small flower buds are the prized part to be pickled.

Capparis spinosa is native to the Mediterranean. It is native to almost all the circum-Mediterranean countries, and is included in the flora of most of them, but whether it is indigenous to this region is uncertain.

The shrubby plant is many-branched, with alternate leaves, thick and shiny, round to ovate. The flowers are complete, sweetly fragrant, and showy, with four sepals and four white to pinkish-white petals, and many long violet-colored stamens, and a single stigma usually rising well above the stamens. They get about 3’ tall and spread an incredible 12’ wide. This is because in nature, they are often found growing off of cliffs where their branches dangle.

Caper fruit revealing seeds.

Because of this, they seem to like extremely well-drained soil. And they can take the intense heat of our region. They also are fairly low water, though supplemental water is good as long as they have good drainage. They are hardy to about 18°F. Capers need at least six hours a day of full summer sun and can take all day sun if properly cared for. While mature plants are drought tolerant, young starts should be watered regularly as they become established in their new location. Feed occasionally with a balanced, organic plant food.

Caper flowers are spectacular.

Though most often the flowers buds or fruits are consumed, the entire plant is edible and normally pickled. Caper leaves, which are hard to find outside of Greece or Cyprus, are used particularly in salads and fish dishes. They are pickled or boiled and preserved in jars with brine—like caper buds.

Dried caper leaves are also used as a substitute for rennet in the manufacturing of high-quality cheese.