Jamaican Caper
Glossy leaves and showy flowers that open white and blush purple by evening. Slow, refined, worth the wait.
Quadrella jamaicensis
Tough, glossy, and it puts on a wild pink-and-white flower show. Name note: recently reclassified as Quadrella jamaicensis; you'll still see it sold under the old name Capparis cynophallophora.
Why it works here
Note: larval host for the Florida white butterfly
This is a rugged, good-looking native that earns its spot. The leaves are leathery and glossy with a coppery underside, and the flowers open white then flush pink, so a blooming plant looks like it's wearing two colors at once. It takes salt wind and hurricanes, which makes it a smart pick for exposed Treasure Coast yards, and it hosts the Florida white butterfly. Use it as a specimen, a screen, or an informal hedge.
Care
Water it in for the first month or two, then it's very drought tolerant. It thrives in our sandy, high-pH soils and asks for little. A spring topdressing of compost and mulch is plenty. It's slow to moderate and naturally neat, so prune only to shape or to lift it into a small tree. Seed-grown plants need the seed scarified, meaning the hard coat nicked, so buying a started plant saves the trouble.
Common problems
About as trouble-free as natives get here, and it stands up to wind and salt better than most. The honest caveat is speed: it's not fast, so don't expect an instant hedge. In deep shade the flowering drops off, so keep it in good light for the color show. Pests are minor.
Common questions
Why are the flowers two colors at once?
They open white and turn pink as they age, so at peak bloom you see both on the plant at the same time. It's one of the prettier native shrubs when it's flowering.
Can it handle a windy, salty yard?
Yes, better than most. It's rated for hurricane winds and takes salty wind and some spray, though I still wouldn't put it in the direct beach blast or standing salt water.
Is it the same as the plant sold as Capparis?
Yes. It got moved to the genus Quadrella, so Quadrella jamaicensis and the older Capparis cynophallophora are the same Jamaican caper.
Interested in a jamaican caper in your landscape?
We plan, install, and care for it. Start with a paid consultation.