<previous next>

Burgundy Needlebloom

Shrub type: Deciduous (Stores water in its leaves)

This big shrub grows up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 137 years old. It is very resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has several wide, crooked stems covered in thin, smooth, burgundy and brown bark, and the wood inside is mahogany-coloured.

The branches are very long and thin with hundreds of twigs that and are covered with small amounts of tiny, needle-like, leaves with tattered edges. The leaves themselves are yellow and faded blue, strong and sticky.

It produces handfuls of small, purple flowers with long, tapering petals with a bell-shaped floral cup. They fall easily and have an intense scent that smells like bleach. In early winter it forms giantdark green, winged seeds that float and land far away.

It is suitable for creating tough, hard-wearing textiles
All of it is said to be part of one single, massive plant.