Bluebell

This small shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for around 26 years. It is very resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has several branched, crooked stems covered in silky, brown and grey bark, and the wood inside is silver.

The branches trail down to the ground with thousands of twigs that and are covered with large amounts of small, stiff, pointed, leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are found in sky blue, purple and yellow varieties, delicate and rough.

In mid-summer it produces handfuls of small, magenta blossoms with slender, pointed petals. They are sturdy and have no scent.

In midwinter small circular fruits ripen. The rubbery purple skin is tough and edible when cooked; it is spicy, and the soft light brown flesh is sweet and salty and syrupy. The subtle red seeds are tiny and are bunched at the top of the fruit.