Marzipan Willow

This small shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 196 years old. It is susceptible to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has several narrow, wavy stems covered in hard, ridged, pine-coloured bark, and the wood inside is burgundy-brown.

The branches are very long, thin and wispy with hundreds of twigs that and are covered with small bunches of tiny, sickle shaped, leaves with ripped edges. The leaves themselves are generally lime, light and leathery.

It produces many giant, deep red flowers with 9 oval-shaped shaped petals. They fall easily and have an intensely strong scent that smells like marzipan. In early winter it forms tinyblack, spiky-shelled seeds.