Jamaican Caper

from $22.00

Capparis cynophallophora

Jamaican Caper is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to coastal Florida that grows 6-20 feet tall with an upright to spreading growth habit. This striking plant features glossy, oval leaves that emerge folded and bronze-colored before maturing to light green with notched tips. In spring, it produces spectacular showy flowers with white petals and prominent purple stamens up to 2 inches long that attract butterflies and other pollinators. Following flowering, it develops distinctive cylindrical seed pods 3-8 inches long containing brown seeds embedded in scarlet pulp. Extremely drought and salt-tolerant, it thrives in full sun to partial shade with well-drained soils, making it an excellent choice for coastal landscapes, screens, or specimen plantings in zones 10-11.

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Capparis cynophallophora

Jamaican Caper is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to coastal Florida that grows 6-20 feet tall with an upright to spreading growth habit. This striking plant features glossy, oval leaves that emerge folded and bronze-colored before maturing to light green with notched tips. In spring, it produces spectacular showy flowers with white petals and prominent purple stamens up to 2 inches long that attract butterflies and other pollinators. Following flowering, it develops distinctive cylindrical seed pods 3-8 inches long containing brown seeds embedded in scarlet pulp. Extremely drought and salt-tolerant, it thrives in full sun to partial shade with well-drained soils, making it an excellent choice for coastal landscapes, screens, or specimen plantings in zones 10-11.

  • Evergreen, 6-12 ft, dry to moist soil (well-drained), sun to shade.

  • Makes a nice hedge, natural screen or buffer planting. Can also be a specimen tree. 

  • Larvel host for Florida white butterflies, and the showy white/pink flowers in spring.  Attracts various pollinators.