Herero caper bush

Herero caper bush (Capparis hereroensis): This plant is endemic to the Namib Desert. A feature of this bush is that it appears to grow on the top of small sand dunes but in fact the dune evolves around the shrub first on a formation commonly known as a shrub-coppice. Gradually as the young Herero caper-bush develops, a build-up of sand develops around it. The bush then grows on the top of an ever-enlarging mound.

The bark is pale grey in colour with white-green branchlets. Straight spines grow upwards with lush green to yellow-green leaves. The white petals of the flowers are fairly large and bloom mainly from December to April although they can be found all year round. oryx, rodents and jackal eat the leaves, fruit and flowers and many species of butterfly are attracted to their flowers and leaves including Whites and Tips.