Taxon:  Capparis spinosa L.



Summary
Genus:
Capparis
Family:
Capparaceae
Nomen number:
8897
Place of publication:
Sp. pl. 1:503.  1753
Verified:
03/12/2008 ARS Systematic Botanists.
Accessions:
14 (4  active, 0  available) in National Plant Germplasm System.  (Map it)
Other conspecific taxa
Capparis spinosa L. subsp. spinosa (0 active accession[s])
Autonyms (not in current use), synonyms and invalid designations
No images


Conservation Status

Reference(s)
  1. Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
  2. Ali, S. I. & S. M. H. Jafri, eds. 1976-. Flora of Libya.
  3. Andrews, F. W. 1950-1956. The flowering plants of the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan.
  4. APHIS. Agricultural Risk Management System United States Department of Agriculture.
  5. Castroviejo, S. et al., eds. 1989-. Flora iberica: plantas vasculares de la Peninsula Iberica e Islas Baleares.
  6. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  7. Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
  8. Encke, F. et al. 1993. Zander: Handwörterbuch der Pflanzennamen, 14. Auflage
  9. Eriksson, O. et al. 1979. Flora of Macaronesia: checklist of vascular plants, ed. 2.
  10. Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
  11. Fici, S. 2001. Intraspecific variation and evolutionary trends in Capparis spinosa L. (Capparaceae). Pl. Syst. Evol. 228:123-141.
  12. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). 2010. Ecocrop (on-line resource).
  13. George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
  14. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  15. Grimalt, M. et al. 2022. Relationships between chemical composition, antioxidant activity and genetic analysis with ISSR markers in flower buds of caper plants (Capparis spinosa L.) of two subspecies spinosa and rupestris of Spanish cultivars. Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 69:1451-1469. DOI: 10.1007/s10722-021-01312-3.
  16. Higton, R. N. & J. R. Akeroyd. 1991. Variation in Capparis spinosa L. in Europe. Bot. J. Linn. Soc. 106:104-112.
  17. Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
  18. Inocencio, C. et al. 2006. A systematic revision of Capparis section Capparis (Capparaceae). Ann. Missouri Bot. Gard. 93:145.
  19. Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
  20. Jacobs, M. 1965. The genus Capparis (Capparaceae) from the Indus to the Pacific. Blumea 12:416-418.
  21. Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
  22. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  23. Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
  24. Magness, J. R. et al. 1971. Food and feed crops of the United States. IR Bull. 1
  25. Mahmodi, N. et al. 2022. Evaluation of molecular and morphological diversity of caper (Capparis spinosa L.). Genet. Resources Crop Evol. 69:1509-1534. DOI: 10.1007/s10722-021-01315-0.
  26. Markle, G. M. et al., eds. 1998. Food and feed crops of the United States, ed. 2
  27. McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
  28. Migahid, A. M. 1978. Flora of Saudi Arabia, ed. 2.
  29. Miller, A. G. & T. A. Cope. 1996-. Flora of the Arabian Peninsula and Socotra.
  30. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  31. Nasir, E. & S. I. Ali, eds. 1970-. Flora of [West] Pakistan.
  32. Norton, J. et al. 2009. Illustrated checklist of the flora of Qatar.
  33. Ozenda, P. 1977. Flore du Sahara, ed. 2
  34. Personal Care Products Council. International Nomenclature Cosmetic Ingredient
  35. Porcher, M. H. et al. Searchable World Wide Web Multilingual Multiscript Plant Name Database (MMPND) (on-line resource).
  36. Quézel, P. & S. Santa. 1962-1963. Nouvelle flore de l'Algerie.
  37. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  38. Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
  39. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
  40. Täckholm, V. 1974. Students' flora of Egypt, ed. 2.
  41. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
  42. Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1993. Flora europaea, ed. 2.
  43. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
  44. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
  45. Zohary, M. et al. 1980-. Conspectus florae orientalis.
Common names
LanguageNameAlternate namenoteseqCitation
Englishcaper  1Wiersema, J. H. & B. León. 1999. World economic plants: a standard reference CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL.
Englishcaperbush  1Liberty Hyde Bailey Hortorium. 1976. Hortus third. A concise dictionary of plants cultivated in the United States and Canada
EnglishFlinders-rose  1Integrated Botanical Information System (IBIS). Australian plant common name database (on-line resource).
Arabicshafallah  2Norton, J. et al. 2009. Illustrated checklist of the flora of Qatar.
Frenchcâprier  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
GermanKapernstrauch  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Portuguesealcaparra  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Spanishalcaparro  2Rehm, S. 1994. Multilingual dictionary of agronomic plants
Swedishkapris  2Aldén, B., S. Ryman, & M. Hjertson. 2012. Svensk Kulturväxtdatabas, SKUD (Swedish Cultivated and Utility Plants Database; online resource)
Distribution
order_codeStatusContinentSubcontinentCountryStateNoteReference
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaAlgeria  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaEgypt  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaLibya  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaMorocco  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAfricaNorthern AfricaTunisia  Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaBahrain   
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaQatar   
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaSaudi Arabia   
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaUnited Arab Emirates   
1NativeAsia-TemperateArabian PeninsulaYemen   
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusArmenia  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusAzerbaijan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusGeorgia  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusRussian FederationDagestan Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateCaucasusRussian Federation-CiscaucasiaCiscaucasia Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaXinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateChinaChinaXizang Zizhiqu Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaKazakhstan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaKyrgyzstan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaTajikistan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaTurkmenistan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateMiddle AsiaUzbekistan  Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaAfghanistan  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaCyprus  Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaEgyptSinai  
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIran  Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIraq  Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaIsrael  Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaJordan  Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaLebanon  Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaSyria  Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
1NativeAsia-TemperateWestern AsiaTurkey  Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentIndia  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentNepal  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalIndian SubcontinentPakistan  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesia  Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaIndonesiaLesser Sunda Islands Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAsia-TropicalMalesiaPhilippines  Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
1NativeAsia-TropicalPapuasiaSolomon Islands   
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaNorthern Territory George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaQueensland George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
1NativeAustralasiaAustraliaAustraliaWestern Australian.George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
1NativeEuropeEastern EuropeUkraineKrym Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeAlbania  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeCroatia  Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae. Note: = Capparis spinosa L.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeGreece incl. CreteJalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1NativeEuropeSoutheastern EuropeItaly incl. Sardinia, SicilyJalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeFrance s. & CorsicaJalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropePortugal  Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
1NativeEuropeSouthwestern EuropeSpain incl. BalearesJalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
1NativePacificNorthwestern PacificUnited StatesGuam  
1NativePacificSouthwestern PacificVanuatu   
2Cultivated    widely cult. 
4Naturalized    possibly natzd. in some regions 
Native
Africa
  • NORTHERN AFRICA: Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Tunisia
Asia-Temperate
  • ARABIAN PENINSULA: United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Yemen
  • WESTERN ASIA: Afghanistan, Cyprus, Egypt [Sinai], Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Turkey
  • CAUCASUS: Russian Federation-Ciscaucasia [Ciscaucasia], Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russian Federation [Dagestan]
  • MIDDLE ASIA: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan
  • CHINA: China [Xinjiang Uygur Zizhiqu, Xizang Zizhiqu]
Asia-Tropical
  • INDIAN SUBCONTINENT: India, Nepal, Pakistan
  • PAPUASIA: Solomon Islands
  • MALESIA: Indonesia [Lesser Sunda Islands], Philippines
Australasia
  • AUSTRALIA: Australia [Queensland, Western Australia (n.), Northern Territory]
Europe
  • EASTERN EUROPE: Ukraine [Krym]
  • SOUTHEASTERN EUROPE: Albania, Greece (incl. Crete), Croatia, Italy (incl. Sardinia, Sicily)
  • SOUTHWESTERN EUROPE: Spain (incl. Baleares), France (s. & Corsica), Portugal
Pacific
  • NORTHWESTERN PACIFIC: United States [Guam]
  • SOUTHWESTERN PACIFIC: Vanuatu
Cultivated (widely cult.)
Naturalized (possibly natzd. in some regions)

Reference(s)
  1. Davis, P. H., ed. 1965-1988. Flora of Turkey and the east Aegean islands.
  2. Euro+Med Editorial Committee. Euro+Med Plantbase: the information resource for Euro-Mediterranean plant diversity (on-line resource).
  3. George, A. S., ed. 1980-. Flora of Australia.
  4. Greuter, W. et al., eds. 1984-. Med-Checklist.
  5. Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae.
  6. Jalas, J. & J. Suominen. 1972-. Atlas florae europaeae. Note: = Capparis spinosa L.
  7. Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
  8. Mouterde, P. 1966-. Nouvelle flore du Liban et de la Syrie.
  9. Rechinger, K. H., ed. 1963-. Flora iranica.
  10. Steenis, C. G. G. J. van, ed. 1948-. Flora malesiana.
  11. Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
  12. Wu Zheng-yi & P. H. Raven et al., eds. 1994-. Flora of China (English edition).
  13. Zohary, M. & N. Feinbrun-Dothan. 1966-. Flora palaestina.
Economic Uses
UsageTypeNoteReference
Environmentalboundary/barrier/support Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Environmentalornamental Huxley, A., ed. 1992. The new Royal Horticultural Society dictionary of gardening
Food additivesflavoring Tutin, T. G. et al., eds. 1993. Flora europaea, ed. 2.
Food additivesflavoring Komarov, V. L. et al., eds. 1934-1964. Flora SSSR.
Food additivesflavoring Townsend, C. C. & E. Guest. 1966-. Flora of Iraq.
Human foodvegetableflower bud primary source of common caperMcGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Medicinesfolklore Duke, J. A. et al. 2002. CRC Handbook of medicinal herbs
Medicinesfolklore McGuffin, M., J. T. Kartesz, A. Y. Leung, & A. O. Tucker. 2000. Herbs of commerce, ed. 2 American Herbal Products Association, Silver Spring, Maryland.
Cite as: USDA, Agricultural Research Service, National Plant Germplasm System. 2026. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN Taxonomy). National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland.
URL: https://npgstest.ars-grin.gov/gringlobal/taxon/taxonomydetail?id=8897. Accessed 15 April 2026.