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Bleachblossom

Shrub type: Deciduous (Stores water in its stem)

This small shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 150 years old. It is very susceptible to disease and insect infestation.

It has dozens of narrow, straight stems covered in fine, rough, pine-coloured bark, and the wood inside is pale brown-grey.

The branches trail down across the ground with dozens of twigs that and are covered with small amounts of huge, needle-like, leaves with toothed edges. The leaves themselves are found in dark yellow, turquoise and olive varieties, frail and smooth.

In early summer it produces large amounts of giant, gold blossoms with cylindrical petals. They fall easily and have a strong scent that smells like bleach.

In late autumn oblong fruits ripen. The sticky turquoise skin is peel-able and sweet and spicy, and the soft bronze flesh is spicy and powdery. The cream seed is small and sits at the end of the fruit.

It is excellent at collecting and storing carbon dioxide
It is suitable for creating strong, durable textiles
The bark is frequently covered in moss.