Caper bush (Capparis spinosa)
Care, watering, light and tips for Caper bush on Floravia.
Quick facts
- Family: Capparaceae
- Difficulty: Moderate care
- Watering: every 10 days
- Light: Partial shade
- Temperature: 10–30 °C
About Caper bush
Capparis spinosa, commonly known as Caper or Kebbar, is a low-growing, sprawling perennial shrub, renowned for its edible flower buds (capers). Its spiny branches and white flowers with purple stamens make it ideal for Mediterranean gardens, rockeries, or as a groundcover in arid, sunny areas, adding a rustic, wild touch.
Native range
Mediterranean region, including Southern Europe, North Africa, and Southwest Asia.
Care tips
It thrives in full sun exposure and tolerates drought exceptionally well, so watering should be sparse once established, especially in winter. It requires well-drained soil, even poor and calcareous, avoiding waterlogging which is its main enemy. It is salt-tolerant and does not tolerate severe frosts, so in cold climates, it should be protected or grown in pots for shelter.
How to save a dying Caper bush
- Warning signs
- Yellowing or falling leaves, soft shoots, no flowering.
- First aid
- Check drainage and soil moisture. Move to a sunnier spot if in shade.
- What kills it
- Overwatering or too much shade. Does not tolerate waterlogging or lack of light.
- Can it be saved?
- Yes, if you act quickly. Needs full sun and well-drained soil.