Caper
Capparis spinosa
Description
The caper is a perennial subshrub, wild or naturalised on rocks and walls along the Mediterranean coasts; it is of considerable decorative value for its trailing habit, its compact clumps and its large white flowers.
Stem
The stems of the caper, woody at the base and herbaceous in the upper part, are simple or branched, they reach as much as three metres in length and give the plant its typical, charming appearance.
Leaves
Evergreen, oval to rounded in shape, with entire margins, of a fine, intense glossy green, the leaves help to make the caper a worthwhile ornamental plant.
Flowers
The flowers of Capparis spinosa, fragrant and showy, are fairly large, measuring about 5 centimetres across; white or pinkish, they have numerous long purple stamens at the centre. Flowering is very prolonged: from May to September flower buds form in every leaf axil. The buds, picked before they have opened and then preserved in salt or in brine, are much prized in gastronomy
Cultivation
This plant is rather difficult to grow, not because it is demanding, but because, to make it germinate or take root, its natural conditions must be reproduced exactly.
Exposure
Capers love the sun and want a sheltered position: south-facing walls are excellent.
Propagation
The semi-woody cutting, taken from the mother plant, should be rooted in a greenhouse; if you intend to sow, it is best to soak the seeds for a day and a night, then mix them with some potting soil and insert them into a crack in a wall or in the rock.
Growth
Once the plant has taken root, the growth of the caper presents no problems at all; anyone wishing to obtain plenty of flowers should prune all the branches hard, since only the new shoots bear flower buds.
Harvesting
Capers are harvested in succession: as it grows, the plant keeps producing new flower buds, spherical, greenish and aromatic, of which the smallest and roundest are considered particularly choice.
Storage
Once washed, the buds are placed under salt for a few days and pressed: the liquid that comes out must be discarded, after which they are preserved either in vinegar or in salt.
Properties
IN THE KITCHEN: Countless recipes of Mediterranean cooking call for capers, together with anchovies and garlic they should never be missing from the kitchen, because they can add flavour to many dishes. The best Italian capers are said to be those produced in the Aeolian Islands.
Health
The bark of the roots has marked diuretic properties, the buds contain substances with tonic and digestive properties.