This native shrub, scrambling vine or small tree is Limber Caper, Cynophalla flexuosa. It belongs to the caper family, Capparaceae, and may also appear under the older name Capparis flexuosa. It occurs naturally from southern Florida and the Caribbean through Mexico and Central America into northern South America.

The name “Limber Caper” refers to its long, flexible branches. Rather than always growing as a neatly upright tree, it may spread through nearby vegetation or lean on surrounding plants for support, creating the appearance of a large woody vine.

The leaves are simple, leathery and usually arranged alternately along the stems. They are oval to elongated, with smooth edges and a glossy green surface. Their firm texture helps the plant tolerate strong sunlight, drying winds and seasonal drought.

The flowers are its most striking feature. They usually open white or pale pink and have four narrow petals surrounding a great spray of long stamens. Those stamens extend well beyond the petals, making each flower resemble a delicate firework or shaving brush.

The flowers commonly open during the evening and release a noticeable fragrance. Their pale color and nighttime scent are well suited to attracting moths and other nocturnal pollinators, although bees and butterflies may also visit them during daylight.

After pollination, the plant develops long, narrow green fruits that resemble slender pods. These are capsules rather than true legume pods, because Limber Caper does not belong to the bean family.

As a capsule matures, it splits open and often twists back, revealing pale seeds embedded in vivid reddish or pink pulp. The contrast between the green outer fruit, bright interior and pale seeds makes the fruiting stage almost as memorable as the flowers. Birds feed on the fruit and help disperse the seeds.

Limber Caper grows naturally in coastal thickets, dry woodland and limestone or sandy habitats. Once established, it can tolerate considerable drought and exposure to salty winds, although it does not thrive where its roots remain flooded by saltwater.

Its foliage also supports butterfly caterpillars, including the Florida White and, occasionally, the Great Southern White. The plant therefore contributes food at several stages: flowers for pollinators, leaves for caterpillars and fruit for birds.

Limber Caper may look rather ordinary when it is not flowering, but its flexible branches, fragrant evening blossoms and dramatically opening fruits make it a rewarding plant to revisit throughout the year.

When it is in bloom, the best feature to point out is the burst of long stamens. Later, the split capsules reveal an entirely different display hidden inside the fruit.