broadleaf caper
Capparis hastata · Capparaceae
broadleaf caper (Capparis hastata) is a perennial tree in the Capparaceae family. It is native to North America. USDA records it as hardy in zone 11 and warmer, down to about 40°F.
At a glance
| Type | tree Derived |
|---|---|
| Lifecycle | perennial USDA |
| Native status | native USDA |
| Mature height | 33 ft USDA |
| Soil pH | 6–7.5 USDA |
| Flower color | Red USDA |
| Hardiness zones | 11 and warmer USDA |
| Guild layer | understory Derived |
USDA quoted from the USDA PLANTS database · Derived computed by a fixed rule from those columns. No value on this page is estimated.
Growing conditions
Its drought tolerance is rated medium. It is recorded on soils from pH 6 to 7.5 — a broad range that spans acidic through mildly alkaline ground. Its cold limit is zone 11.
Size and growth
At maturity it reaches about 33 ft, making it a substantial woody plant.
Foliage, flower and season
Summer foliage is yellow-green, coarse in texture. Its flowers are not conspicuous — a plant for form and foliage. USDA rates its lifespan as short, so plan on replacing or resowing it rather than treating it as permanent structure.
What the site needs to provide
USDA records it across sites receiving 40 to 60 inches of annual precipitation. It needs at least 365 frost-free days to finish its season. It roots to at least 24 inches.
Propagating it
Propagate it from seed and cuttings. USDA records no cold-stratification requirement, so seed should germinate without a chilling period.
Role in a guild
Understory. In a layered planting this is the layer beneath the canopy, tall enough to hold structure but shaded from above. The layer is derived by a fixed rule from growth habit and mature height.
Tags
Related plants
Others in Capparis
- burro blanco Capparis amplissima
- caper Capparis baducca
- Jamaican caper Capparis cynophallophora
- falseteeth Capparis flexuosa
Similar role and hardiness
- custard apple Annona reticulata
- wild cinnamon Canella winterana
- Chamisso's manfern Cibotium chamissoi
- hapu'u Cibotium glaucum
- tietongue Coccoloba diversifolia
Where this data comes from
Every value on this page comes from the USDA PLANTS database record for symbol CAHA9, or is computed from those values by a fixed rule. Nothing here is estimated or model-generated. Where USDA publishes no value, this page omits the claim rather than filling the gap.
- Quoted from USDA PLANTS: cold stratification, Drought tolerance, fall conspicuous, Flower color, flower conspicuous, foliage color, foliage texture, frost free days min, fruit conspicuous, Hardiness zones, Lifecycle, lifespan, Mature height, Minimum temperature, Native status, Nitrogen fixation, precipitation max in, precipitation min in, propagation, resprout ability, root depth in, Soil pH, Soil pH (upper).
- Derived by a fixed rule from those columns: Guild layer, Type.
Read our full data sources and methodology.
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