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Capparaceae FAMILY

Capparis spinosa cartilaginea

Capparis spinosa cartilaginea

Edibility
3/5
Medicinal
3/5

Safety & Hazards

Caper extracts and pulps have been used in cosmetics, but there have been cases reported of contact dermatitis and sensitivity from their use[1].

Cultivation Details

HabitEvergreen Shrub
Growth—

Capers generally require a hot, well-drained dry position in full sun[2, 3, 4]. Plants can tolerate some frost so long as the ground is very well-drained. They generally dislike heavy soils[5]. Established plants are very tolerant of drought[4]. They prefer a pH in the range 6.5 - 7.5, tolerating 6 - 8.3[5]. They should be tolerant of a higher pH than this, particularly as they can be found in the wild on coral based soils[PFAF]. Often harvested from the wild as a medicine, the fruit is also sometimes eaten[6]. The plant can flower and produce fruit all year round[6]. The flowers are reported to open in the evening and fade by late morning the following day[6].

Propagation

Caper seeds are miniscule and seedlings are very slow growing. The fresh seed germinates quickly, although germination rates are usually quite low[1]. Dried seed becomes dormant and notably difficult to germinate - pre-soak for 24 hours in warm water at around 40°c which is then allowed to cool. Then wrap them in a moist cloth, place them in a sealed glass jar and kept in the refrigerator for 2 - 3 months. After refrigeration, soak the seeds again in warm water overnight. Sow the seeds about 1cm deep in a loose well drained soil medium[1]. Cuttings of half-ripe wood in a sandy medium[3]. Use stems from the basal portions, greater than 1cm diameter and 8cm long with 6 - 10 buds. Use a loose, well drained media with bottom heat. A 70% rooting percentage would be considered good[1] Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2026-02-20. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Capparis+spinosa+cartilaginea>

Pollinators

Data unavailable

References

  1. [1]New Crops FactSheets — Purdue University · http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/default.html ↩︎A website dedicated to giving information on potential new agricultural crops.
  2. [2]Perennials. Volumes 1 and 2. — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books · 1991 · ISBN 0-330-30936-9 ↩︎Photographs of over 3,000 species and cultivars of ornamental plants together with brief cultivation notes, details of habitat etc.
  3. [3]The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. — Huxley. A. · MacMillan Press · 1992 · ISBN 0-333-47494-5 ↩︎Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
  4. [4]Conservatory and Indoor Plants Volumes 1 & 2 — Phillips. R. & Rix. M. · Pan Books, London. · 1998 · ISBN 0-330-37376-5 ↩︎Excellent photos of over 1,100 species and cultivars with habits and cultivation details plus a few plant uses. Many species are too tender for outdoors in Britain though there are many that can be grown outside.
  5. [5]Ecocrop — http://ecocrop.fao.org/ecocrop/srv/en/home ↩︎Basic information on a wide range of useful plants, plus details of environmental needs where available.
  6. [6]A taxonomic revision of the Capparis spinosa group (Capparaceae) from eastern Africa to Oceania — Silvio Fici · 2015 · http://www.mapress.com/phytotaxa/ · ISBN 1179-3155 ↩︎
  7. [PFAF]Plants for a Future — pfaf.org ↩︎