Crimson Fruit Tree

This short fruit tree grows up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and lives for up to 35 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 65 years old. It is very resistant to destructive insect infestation but susceptible to disease.

It has a branched, crooked trunk covered in wrinkled, pine-coloured bark, and inside, the very dense wood is black with white speckles.

The branches are short, thin and wispy and are covered with copious amounts of miniature, pleated leaves with irregular edges. The leaves themselves are black at the bottom and red with faded yellow lines at the top.

In early spring, it produces hundreds of small, orange blossoms with 5 crescent-shaped shaped petals. They fall easily and have an overpowering scent that smells like freshly baked bread.

In late autumn it produces , wide fruit. The rubbery amber skin is delicate and sweet and spicy, and the very soft cream flesh is salty and powdery. The olive seed is large and sits at the end of the fruit.

The roots are fine and grow in a large web, and overall the tree is sturdy and rigid.

Forests of this species feature the trees packed together densely, with clear space between them.