Copperwood

This huge shrub grows up to 13 feet (4.0 meters) tall and lives for around 27 years. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has dozens of flexible, crooked stems covered in ridged, white with black speckled bark, and the wood inside is copper-coloured.

The branches are very short and thin with thousands of twigs that and are covered with large amounts of huge, long, narrow, leaves with irregular edges. The leaves themselves are found in grey, orange and lilac varieties, robust and clammy.

In mid-spring it produces thick bunches of tiny, black blossoms with fan-like petals. They fall easily and have a weak scent that smells like citrus.

In early winter stiff, pointed fruits ripen. The crispy gold skin is stretchy and sweet, and the very soft peach flesh is sour and savoury and syrupy. The green seeds are small and are located in the centre of the fruit.