Lilac

This modest-sized shrub grows up to 3 feet (91.4 cm) tall and lives for around 40 years. It is not very resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has many slender, wavy stems covered in fine, knobbly, dark brown bark, and the wood inside is silver.

The branches are long and thin that and are covered with large amounts of miniature, asymmetrical, leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are lilac on the edges and lime at the center, resilient and smooth.

In early summer it produces lots of tiny, cream blossoms with long, narrow petals with a tube-like floral cup. They fall easily and have a weak scent that smells like honeysuckle.

In midwinter small asymmetrical fruits ripen. The fuzzy aquamarine skin is delicate and edible when roasted; it is overwhelmingly spicy, and the very soft blue flesh is bitter and very dry. The lime seed is very large and sits at the top of the fruit.