Blackberry

This massive shrub grows up to 11 feet (3.4 meters) tall and lives for around 18 years. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has numerous long and flexible, straight stems covered in paper-thin, ridged, light brown bark, and the wood inside is black.

The branches are short and thin with dozens of twigs that and are covered with large amounts of large, long, tapering, leaves with rounded edges. The leaves themselves are black and amber, resilient and waxy.

In mid-spring it produces many balls of giant, orange blossoms with fan-like petals. They fall easily and have an overpowering scent that smells like rotting meat.

In midwinter tiny broad, flat fruits ripen. The crispy yellow skin is thick and inedible, and the crunchy magenta flesh is salty and powdery. The crimson seed is large and sits at the top of the fruit.