Watermelon Tree

This short fruit tree grows up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and lives for up to 40 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 82 years old. It is somewhat resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has a very thick, angular trunk covered in delicate, smooth, brown-green bark, and inside, the flexible wood is black with white speckles.

The branches are short stubs and are covered with large amounts of miniature, thin leaves with serrated edges. The leaves themselves are a shade of yellow that gradient shifts to amber at the top.

In early spring, it produces large amounts of small, lilac blossoms with crescent-shaped shaped petals. They are sturdy and have a strong scent that smells like fermented fruit.

In late autumn it produces large, circular fruit. The sticky black skin is thin and edible when roasted; it is sour, and the crunchy bronze flesh is sweet and spicy and oily. The silver seed is large and sits at the end of the fruit.

The roots are shallow and grow straight down, and overall the tree is sturdy and rigid.

Forests of this species feature trees spaced far apart, with patches of undergrowth between them.