Twining Lilacvine

This big shrub grows up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 157 years old. It is very resistant to destructive insect infestation but susceptible to disease.

It has numerous branched, angular stems covered in rough, copper-coloured bark, and the wood inside is gray.

The branches trail down across the ground with thousands of twigs that and are covered with sparse amounts of giant, sickle shaped, leaves with irregular edges. The leaves themselves are lilac and yellow, tough and waxy.

In early summer it produces thousands of large, turquoise blossoms with long, tapering petals. They are hardy and have a weak scent that smells like ashes.

In late winter small stiff, pointed fruits ripen. The smooth indigo skin is thin and savoury, and the crunchy green flesh is sweet and spicy and dry. The cream seed is tiny and sits at the end of the fruit.