Ker

Capparis decidua

Leafless desert shrub whose berries make the Marwari pickle ker sangri.

Type: shrub · berries and small fruit
Hardiness: zones 10 to 12
Light: full sun
Size: about 12 ft tall, 12 ft wide
Harvest: April to May
From: Thar Desert
Here: Too tender to overwinter outdoors on the Lake Erie shore (zone 6b to 7a): grow it in a pot and bring it in, or treat it as an annual.

Good for: food, wildlife.

Native to: Sahara & Arabian deserts, South & Southeast Asian tropics. Hardy in zones 10 to 12.

The story

Ker is a leafless desert shrub of the Thar whose small red berries are pickled and cooked with khejri pods into ker sangri, the signature dish of Marwar; the Bishnoi and Rajasthani villagers gather it from the dunes in spring, and nothing else grows where it does.

Planting

Full sun, pure sand, heat, and no frost; plant seed or a rooted sucker in the desert. A thorny shrub to 12 feet.

Growing

Water once at planting, then never; it dies with care. No pruning.

Harvest and use

Berries ripen red in late spring; pick green for pickle, ripe for eating, and dry for sangri. Soak dried berries before cooking.

What to watch for

Water, frost, and thorns.

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More berries and small fruit

General guidance, not professional advice. Conditions vary by yard and year; for local specifics ask your county extension office. Never eat a wild plant you cannot identify with certainty. Traditional uses are shared as history, not medical advice. © 2026 Sean Priest · Irie Orchard. Terms & credits · Privacy · Home