Blackvine

This short shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for around 25 years. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has several knobbly, twisting stems covered in fine, cracked, black with white speckled bark, and the wood inside is black.

The branches are short stubs with hundreds of twigs that and are covered with large amounts of miniature, wide, leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are solid grey with vibrant orange edges, tough and sticky.

It produces bunches of tiny, purple flowers with 6 circular shaped petals. They fall easily and have a soft scent that smells like grass cuttings. In early autumn it forms smallhazel, tough-shelled seeds.