Native pomegranate, Northern wild orange,
Capparis umbonata

Family: Capparaceae

What it is like

A slender tree. It grows 4-7 m tall. The leaves and branches droop. There are small spines along the young branches. The leaves are alternate and smooth. They are long and leathery. The blade can be 10-23 cm long by 0.7-3 cm wide. The leaf stalk is 1-3 cm long. The flowers are large and white or pale yellow. They are 5-10 cm long with long stamens. Up to 6 flowers occur together at the ends of branches. The fruit is round and woody. It is 3-4.5 cm across. It is yellow or red when ripe. It does not split open but contains 5 or more seeds. The fruit are on a long stalk. The fruit are 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 open woodland. It is drought hardy and fire resistant. It needs good drainage. It can grow in arid places.

Countries/locations it is found in

Australia (country/location of origin)

How it is used for food

Edible parts

Fruit

How it is grown

Plants are grown from seed.

Its other names

Local names

Burnayingmi, Kajawarri, Kandirrikkal, Kurlinyaka, Nanggalu, Tjiren

Synonyms

Busbeckia umbonata F. Muell.; Capparis acacioides Diels & O. Schwarz; Capparis citrifera O. Schwarz; Capparis umbonata var. latifolia S. Moore;