caper

A sprawling, deciduous, spiny shrub (Capparis spinosa), native to S Europe; leaves alternate, oval, slightly fleshy; flowers 5–7 cm/2–2¾ in in diameter, 4-petalled, white with numerous long purple stamens. The young flower buds are pickled as capers. (Family: Capparidaceae.)

iCaper
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae Division: Magnoliophyta Class: Magnoliopsida Order: Caryophyllales Family: Capparaceae Genus: Capparis Species: C. spinosa
Binomial name
Capparis spinosa Linnaeus, 1753

For Australian native Capparis spinosa ssp nummularia, see Caperbush. For the literary genre, see caper story. For the movie genre, see big caper movie.

A Caper (Capparis spinosa L.) is a biennial spiny shrub that bears rounded, rather fleshy leaves and big pinkish-white flowers.

Capers are categorized and sold by their size, defined as follows: Non-pareil (0-7 mm), surfines (7-8 mm), capucines (8-9 mm), capotes (9-11 mm), fines (11-13 mm), and grusas (14+ mm).