Jamaican Caper

from $22.00

Capparis cynophallophora

Jamaican Caper is an evergreen shrub or small tree native to coastal Florida that grows 6’-20’ 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” long that attract butterflies and other pollinators. Following flowering, it develops distinctive cylindrical seed pods 3”-8” 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’ 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” long that attract butterflies and other pollinators. Following flowering, it develops distinctive cylindrical seed pods 3”-8” 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.