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Turquoiseberry

Shrub type: Deciduous (Stores water in the thickened base of its stem)

This small shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for around 45 years. It is very resistant to destructive insect infestation but susceptible to disease.

It has several thick, wavy stems covered in paper-thin, silky, silver and white bark, and the wood inside is mahogany-coloured.

The branches trail down across the ground with thousands of twigs that and are covered with very large amounts of small, very thin, leaves with wavy edges. The leaves themselves are turquoise on the sides and hazel at the center, light and sticky.

In mid-summer it produces dozens of small, bronze blossoms with pleated petals with a tube-like floral cup. They are very delicate and have an intensely strong scent that smells like a newborn baby.

In mid-autumn asymmetrical fruits ripen. The soft gold skin is delicate and inedible, and the soft turquoise flesh is sour and powdery. The hazel seed is large and is in the centre of the fruit.

It absorbs an exceptionally large amount of water each day.
It is suitable for use as a construction material