Would you like the Bud or the Fruit?

"A Plant a Day"- Capers (Capparis spinosa)-

 Native to the Mediterranean region (or at least introduced a very long time ago from the tropics), the Caper is a small bush with unsettled taxonomy, thick round leaves, thorns and beautiful pinkish-white flowers with many long violet-colored stamens. However, though the plant has some ornamental qualities and is adapted to poor soils and drought, wind and altitude tolerant, it is famous for its buds and fruits. What may surprise many people is the fact that the Caper, as commonly found in Italian cuisine is actually just the flower bud that has been pickled! The fruits are also pickled and popular in cuisine, but not nearly so famously as the buds. The caper buds are also sometimes prepared in salt, and their flavor develops when an enzymatic reaction occurs and glucocapparin (mustard oil) is released from each bud. This reaction is also responsible for the release of rutin, which is seen as white spots on the surface of the little buds. Like the buds and fruits, the leaves of the Caper bush are also often pickled and preserved in brine and enjoyed in salads and fish dishes.

Capers and various plant parts from the Caper bush have been used in traditional medicine dating at least back to Ancient Roman times. Understanding the medicinal uses and pharmacology of Capers is difficult due to the confused botany and the fact that there are numerous pharmacologically active compounds produced in the plant, differing between plant parts (eg. leaves vs. roots). However, the main traditional uses of the Caper bush include the treatment of toothache, fever, headache, rheumatism, kidney disease, liver disease, diabetes, ulcers and sciatica. In partial confirmation of traditional uses, Capers have shown good clinical & preclinical results for diabetes and cholesterol, and antiobesity, antioxidant, anticancer, antibacterial and anti-hypertensive effects in only preclinical tests, thus far.

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Photo by Stuart in Brighton