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Black Cottonfruit Tree

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

This small fruit tree grows up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and lives for up to 20 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 41 years old. It is very susceptible to disease and insect infestation.

It has a thick, straight trunk covered in paper-thin, waxy, black with white speckled bark, and inside, the light wood is pine-coloured.

The branches are very short and thin and are covered with large amounts of tiny, long, narrow leaves with ripped edges. The leaves themselves are gold on the edges and white at the center.

In early spring, it produces many large, brown blossoms with 2 pointed petals. They detach easily and have a soft scent that smells like cotton.

In mid-summer it produces large, long, straight fruit. The hairy purple skin is stretchy and edible when cooked; it is sweet, and the slightly crunchy black flesh is salty and sticky. The cream seed is small and sits at the top of the fruit.

The roots are shallow and widely spread, and overall the tree is rigid and weak, and breaks apart easily.

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

It is suitable for creating strong, durable textiles
It out-competes most other plants for nutrients and light.