Capers

Family. Capparaceae.

Where does it grow? Europe Asia.

How grow. Small shrubs with long stems covered with white-gray or yellowish-green bark. Capers are the unopened buds of this plant. The leaves are alternate, oval or round, sometimes palmately dissected, small, wide, fleshy, spoon-shaped. Young leaf blades are folded in half. During flowering, the plant produces beautiful pinkish-white flowers with very long purple stamens. When damaged, the leaves emit a characteristic smell similar to wasabi.

Height. Up to 1 - 2 m.

Temperature conditions

Capers are thermophilic. In spring and summer, the plant needs warm maintenance at a temperature of 20 - 25 ° C. During the dormant period, it is placed in a cool place with a temperature of 5 - 10 ° C. 

Lighting

The plant should receive several hours of direct sunlight per day.

Care

The long, thin shoots of capers need support. After flowering, the stems can be trimmed to maintain a neat, compact shape.

Substrate

Nutritious, well-drained, loose soil is suitable for growing.

Feeding

Feed twice a month during the period of active growth with fertilizers with a high nitrogen content. To form buds, change the fertilizer to nutrient solutions with potassium and phosphorus.

Purpose

Caper buds are used in canning, in the preparation of salads, meat, sauces and side dishes; they give dishes a sharp, spicy taste and aroma. 

Flowering time

From July to September. 

Air humidity

The bushes tolerate dry indoor air well and do not require spraying.

Soil moisture

Plants tolerate short-term drought well. In summer, they are watered abundantly, but the top layer of soil is allowed to dry out between waterings. In winter, watering is reduced, not allowing the soil lump to dry out completely.

Transfer

The bush develops slowly, and the need for replanting arises every 2–3 years.

Propagation

Capers propagate vegetatively by cuttings and seeds. Fresh seeds germinate easily; before planting, dried seeds must be soaked in warm water for a day and first subjected to cold stratification for 2 - 3 months. Once cooled, soak the seeds again in warm water overnight. The cuttings should be about 12 cm long, with the lower end of the cutting dipped in rooting powder. 

Pests and diseases

Young plants can rot if overwatered. Capers are susceptible to aphid attacks. If you take the plant outside, snails and slugs may attack it.