The perennial, creeping, leaf-bearing, non-hardy caper bush, which grows up to 1 m tall, belongs to the caper family and has been known in the Mediterranean region for thousands of years. The fruits, caper apples, develop from the pea-sized, white to pink flowers. Flowering is extremely short, from morning to midday.
The unripe, still closed flower buds are inedible when raw; after processing in brine, vinegar or oil, they become the spice capers used in the kitchen. The fruits, berries, are edible and are pickled in a similar way to the flowers.