This attractive native shrub or small tree is Jamaican Caper, labeled here as Quadrella cynophallophora. It has also been widely known as Capparis cynophallophora, and some current botanical treatments place it under the name Quadrella jamaicensis. These changing names reflect continuing study of relationships within the caper family, Capparaceae.

Jamaican Caper is native to the Caribbean and nearby tropical regions, including southern Florida, Mexico and Central America. It usually grows as a large evergreen shrub or a small tree, often with a dense, rounded crown.

The leaves are simple, leathery and arranged alternately along the branches. The upper surface is green, while the underside may be much paler and covered with fine scales or hairs. When the breeze turns the leaves, that contrast can give the foliage a softly shimmering appearance.

The flowers are the plant’s most memorable feature. They begin white or cream-colored and have four narrow petals surrounding a great spray of long stamens. Those projecting stamens make each blossom look almost like a small firework or delicate shaving brush.

As the flowers age, they gradually change from white through pink to lavender or purple. A flowering tree may therefore carry several colors at once, allowing us to see the age of individual blossoms simply by looking at them.

The flowers are strongly fragrant, particularly during the evening and night. Their pale color, rich scent and long floral parts attract nocturnal moths as well as bees, butterflies and other visiting insects.

After pollination, the tree produces long, narrow fruits that may hang from slender stalks. They begin green and turn brown as they mature.

When ripe, the capsules split open and curl back, revealing a vivid red or orange interior containing dark seeds. The contrast between the opened fruit and the seeds is almost as dramatic as the flowers. Birds may feed on the fruit and help disperse those seeds.

Although its common name includes the word “caper,” this is not the Mediterranean caper plant whose flower buds are pickled for food. The two belong to the same family, but visitors should not assume that the buds or fruits of Jamaican Caper are edible.

The plant tolerates heat, drought, salt spray and coastal wind once established, making it well suited to dry Caribbean woodland and seaside landscapes.

Jamaican Caper is a tree that changes its appearance throughout the reproductive cycle. First come the fragrant white flowers, which gradually deepen to purple. Later, the fruits open to reveal brilliant red interiors and dark seeds.

It is an excellent example of a plant that rewards repeated visits, because every stage—from pale flower to aging blossom to opened fruit—offers a completely different display.