Notice

Colin Mills, compiler of the Hortus Camdenensis, died in late November 2012 after a short illness. As he always considered the Hortus his legacy, it is his family's intention to keep the site running in perpetuity. It will not, however, be updated in the near future.

Capparis arborea (F.Muell.) Maid.

Half hardy shrub to small tree with ovate leaves, to 12cm, and fragile white flowers, to 3cm across.  [Beadle, FNSW].

Horticultural & Botanical History

No data.

History at Camden Park

Listed in the 1843 and 1845 catalogues only.  In NSW it grows in warm rainforest north from the Hunter Valley and could easily have been collected by Macarthur or one of his collaborators, John Bidwill, Philip Parker King or Edward Bowman.  Capparis mitchellii appears in the 1850 catalogue, so Macarthur’s Capparis sp. Hunter River is possibly this species but a mature specimen of Capparis arborea is present in the gardens.  It produces a palatable fruit that can be used as Caperberry.

Notes

Published Mar 03, 2009 - 05:14 PM | Last updated Jul 16, 2010 - 01:51 PM

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Family Capparaceae
Category
Region of origin

Eastern Australia
Synonyms
  • Busbeckea arborea F.Muell.
  • Capparis nobilis var. arborea (F.Muell.) Domin
  • Capparis nobilis var. laurina Domin
  • Capparis nobilis var. pubescens Benth.
Common Name

Native pomegranate, Brush caper berry
Name in the Camden Park Record

Capparis sp. Hunter River 
Confidence level medium