Bush caper berry
Capparis arborea

Family: Capparaceae

What it is like

An evergreen scrambling shrub. It can be 2-5 m tall. It can grow to 8 m tall. It has a thick woody trunk at the base. The stems have sharp prickles. The leaves are oval and dark green. They are 6-15 cm long by 2-6 cm wide. Flowers are white or cream. They are 3-6 cm across. The flower buds are covered with woolly hairs., The fruit is a berry. It is round and yellow and 5 cm across. The fruit is edible.

There are about 250 Capparis species. There are about 50 Capparis species in tropical America.

Where it is found

A tropical plant. It grows in coastal rainforests in Queensland and New South Wales in Australia. It does best with a well drained acid soil and a sunny position. It is resistant to drought and damaged by frost. It suits hardiness zones 9-12.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

The fruit are eaten when ripe. They are sweet.

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seed or stem cuttings. The fruit are soaked in warm water and the flesh sieved out from the seeds. The fresh seeds are then sown. Cuttings also strike easily.

Its other names

Local names

Brush caper berry, Karum, Native pomegranate, Noble Caper, Woody caper

Synonyms

Busbeckea arborea F. Muell.; Capparis nobilis var. arborea (F. Muell.) Domin;