Caper bush

Capparis spinosa

Layer 3 · Shrubs
Edible companion

Status by region

No restrictions recorded in the lists we checked.

Checked against the European Union list (Regulation 1143/2014) · Portugal's national invasive species list (Decreto-Lei 92/2019).

Information based on the cited sources, not legal advice — always confirm your local rules.

About

Native to the Mediterranean basin, it is a perennial shrub, often thorny, with a trailing habit and very deep roots. In a food forest, it is an excellent addition to rocky areas, sunny walls and arid banks, producing food in conditions of extreme drought with little competition for water.

See which trees caper bush grows well with

Pick the central tree on your land and see the full guild.

No account needed.

Needs

Water: Low
Light: Full sun
Size: Prostrate shrub up to 1 m in height
Mature diameter: 1.5 m
Soils: Loam, Sandy, Limestone
Climates: Inland / Continental, Hot, dry Mediterranean

Calendar

January
February
March — Planting
April — Planting
May — Planting
June — Harvest
July — Harvest
August — Harvest
September
October
November
December

Harvest
Planting

Medicinal use: It has anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and diuretic properties, being used for vascular health.

Where to buy

Grows well with

Central trees this plant has already been paired with.

Central trees worth considering

May work well together — same soil and climate, complementary layers. We have not seen this combination in a generated guild yet.

Cork oak

May grow well with

Suggestions worked out from growing conditions — same soil and climate, complementary layers and functions. These are not observed guilds; treat them as a starting point to try on your own land.