Capers grow wild on Skopelos, usually on rocks and walls; they often inhabit inaccessible sea cliffs.

The many branched plants are woody at the base with long green, trailing stems. The flowers are nocturnal, opening within an hour of dusk and last only 12-16 hours1. The soft green buds are enclosed in 4 green sepals, which open into the beautiful flowers of the caper plant, with 4 white petals, which are sometimes tinged with purple and a profusion of long, fine stamens which may be mauve or white.

Capers are unusual flowers, in that the ovary is supported on a fine stalk in the centre of and above the other flower parts; this develops into a drop shaped pod with many seeds.

A spineless form can be found in the area of the old kastro, and was probably introduced as a garden plant for culinary purposes. This was previously considered a separate species C. ovatum.