Silvervine

This small shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 196 years old. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has numerous slender, slanted stems covered in delicate, knobbly, silver bark, and the wood inside is white.

The branches are tall, rigid and upright with hundreds of twigs that and are covered with handfuls of tiny, fan-like, leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are muted purple and red, flimsy and leathery.

In late spring it produces many bunches of small, blue blossoms with 4 triangular shaped petals. They are hardy and have an intensely strong scent that smells like onion.

In late autumn circular fruits ripen. The fuzzy beige skin is thick and inedible, and the slightly crunchy cream flesh is sweet and oily. The lime seed is large and sits at the end of the fruit.