The Mediterranean caper bush is not easy to cultivate. The problem with care is overwintering. The plants are not hardy. Otherwise the culture is rather simple. Capparis spinosa need lots and lots of sun, poor, sandy and dry soil and little water. Nutrients are also hardly necessary. Cultivation is not easy either, but it can be done, as is propagation by cuttings. The robust and hardy plants only have difficulties with too much water and frost. In the following text you will find out what there is to know about breeding and care.
Table of Contents
Characteristics
- Also known as real caper bush
- Perennial, but not hardy here
- Native to southern Europe, mostly in the Mediterranean region
- Mainly known for the pickled flower buds that are offered as capers
- Not just a cooking ingredient, they were also considered medicinal and aphrodisiacs
- Mediterranean subshrub, shoots have thorns
- Succulent plants
- But grows rather prostrate and overhanging
- Leaves store water and nutrients
- Delicate white-purple flowers
- Flowers open only once from morning to noon
- Hermaphroditic and monoecious
- Flowering June to August
- Fruits – berries
- Can take deep roots
- From a bush you can harvest about 15 years
The care of the caper bush
The caper bush is a versatile plant. The shoots, which are about one meter long, only grow about 20 to 30 cm high and then bend down again. The plants are also suitable for hanging baskets and as ground cover. They can also be overwintered in containers.
The care of the caper bush is not really complicated, but overwintering often causes difficulties. The plants also like drought, which is extremely rare here. The plants therefore thrive best in a planter of sufficient size, which is then placed in such a way that it cannot rain on it.
Many plant lovers exaggerate when it comes to caring for them and literally water the caper bush to death. Less is more with this plant. Sun is important, as much as possible, and a dry, well-drained, calcareous and also stony substrate. Drainage should be ensured when planting, including in the bed if the substrate is moist. Wetness kills the plants. Only young plants need to be watered. Once they have grown properly, the caper bushes only very rarely need replenishment. The plants are also very frugal when it comes to nutrients. Pruning starts around the 3rd year and then quite vigorously. The regrowing shoots should also be shortened again. The problem with the plants is overwintering. An unheated conservatory or a cold house would be ideal. Temperatures should be around 8°C. Propagation is not easy either, but it can be done, both by sowing and by cuttings. Diseases and pests are rare.
location
The caper bush needs sun, as much sun and warmth as possible. The plants are very heat tolerant. They thrive most safely in a planter, which can be moved around without any problems. When it rains, the bucket should be placed under a roof, otherwise in the blazing sun.
- Sunny, if possible very sunny (Mediterranean plant)
- Sun and heat tolerant
- Like in the rock garden and like a little higher, then the harvest is easier
- It is best to keep them in buckets and an unheated conservatory for the winter.
plant substrate
The plant substrate should be lean, rocky, calcareous and well drained. Too much moisture is absolutely deadly for the plants. This is also important for the soil for planters. When caper plants become ailing and die, 90 percent of the time it is because the substrate is too wet. This must be prevented from the start, with drainage and a dry substrate.
- Loves rocky, chalky and well-drained soil
- Definitely poor soil
- Low humus and clay content
- In vessels – lean, sandy, stony soil
- No peat
- Drainage im Topfboden
- Excess water must be drained away quickly
plant
When planting, drainage and substrate are the main things that matter. Plant the plants individually in the container, keep large distances when planted out. When planting, repotting or transplanting, pay close attention to the roots. They must not be damaged, the plants cannot tolerate that.
- Transplant only at intervals of a few years, growth is slow
- Drainage is important, even in the bed
- Plant spacing 2.5 to 3 m, also row spacing
watering and fertilizing
Watering is only important for young plants. Once they have really grown, which takes time, the caper bushes hardly need any water, only when they are absolutely dry. The plants can store water and nutrients and fall back on them when there is a shortage. Too much water is absolutely harmful.
- Low water requirement
- In the first two summers, two to three waterings are usually sufficient.
- Older plants only need to be watered in extreme drought.
- In the case of potted plants, the soil must not dry out over a long period of time
- Water vigorously until no more water can be absorbed and then again wait a few days depending on the weather, sun and heat
- Low nutrient requirement
- Fertilize in spring and then once more at the end of spring and in summer.
To cut
Cutting is usually not necessary because the plants dry back naturally in winter. Towards the end of winter, the caper bush should only be trimmed. If you live in very mild areas and can overwinter the plants outdoors, you should cut in November or December, but only older plants, from the 3rd year. Cut down properly. Prune back the young shoots that appear, but they must remain 8 to 10 cm long. A shorter cut can kill young plants.
hibernate
The requirements for overwintering the caper bush can be compared to those of rosemary. Both survive mild winters, but drop out if temperatures drop below -5°C for a long period of time. Hibernation indoors seems to work better, but it’s not ideal either. An unheated conservatory would be best.
- In winter the branches dry far back. Almost all foliage is shed.
- Hardy to about -5°C, but only for a short time
- Winters best in a natural place
- Maintain only very light soil moisture
- Definitely not too wet
- Keep in buckets – keep cool, never warm or near a heater
- Best set at 8°C (+/- 5°C)
- Again, keep the substrate only slightly moist
multiply
Propagation is by seed or cuttings. The sowing should take place soon after the seed harvest, the seeds are not germinable for long. They also need to be stratified. Both sowing and propagating cuttings are tedious affairs. Patience is required. Neither are easy either.
sowing
- Kaltkeimer
- Stratify together
- Not sorted, you don’t know what will come out
- Soak the seeds in lukewarm water overnight
- Dry seeds and wrap in a damp cloth. Put this back in a plastic bag. Leave in for 60 to 70 days = stratify
- Then place in warm water again and sow the next day
- Mix seed soil with 1/3 sand
- 1 cm
- Mini greenhouse or warm windowsill at 20 to 25°C
- It takes about 4 weeks to germinate
- Can take 3 months
- During this time, keep the substrate evenly and slightly moist. It must not dry out.
- Prick out seedlings when they are 5 to 10 cm in size
- In the first year only keep in the container
- Slowly get the plants used to the outside area.
- Plant out after wintering indoors or in a warm greenhouse, or plant in a larger container
Cuttings – quite difficult – rooting often takes a long time
- A humid microclimate is important, so a mini greenhouse is well suited
- Take herbaceous cuttings in spring or summer
- Leave only the top leaves, remove all others
- Stick in soil and water
- Make sure the air is tense, so either use a mini greenhouse right away or put an airtight bag over the planter.
- Air regularly and ensure that the substrate is evenly and slightly moist.
- Plant rooted cuttings after a year at the earliest
diseases and pests
Caper bushes are very hardy and resistant to many diseases. Pests are also rather rare. Most illnesses are due to poor care. As a rule, too much water kills the plants. Otherwise there are not many dangers.
- Diseases caused by too much moisture
- root rot
- fungi such as botrytis
- Viruses such as Caperlateekt – mostly in monoculture plantations
- root weevil
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the right time to harvest?
The flower buds are harvested and they are as small as possible. If you want to buy capers, the smallest are the most expensive. It is harvested before the filigree stamens unfold. If you leave the buds on the bush, the flowers will only open for a few hours at a time. Then the caper berries develop, which are also pickled like the buds. It’s often said that these are simply larger flower buds, but that’s not true.
The time of harvest extends over weeks, as the shrub keeps flowering. The buds are air dried for a few days before being processed further.
How can the capers be processed?
There are two kinds. First, you can pickle them in salt and second, in vinegar.
- Salt – in sea salt, flor de sal or in concentrated brine, after a few weeks the bitter substances will have evaporated. Then the capers are washed and pickled in vinegar.
- Vinegar – douse the capers with vinegar, leave to soak for a couple of weeks and that’s it.
