Copperfruit Tree

This short fruit tree grows up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and lives for up to 25 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 43 years old. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has a branched, crooked trunk covered in thin, knobbly, black with white speckled bark, and inside, the very light wood is black with white speckles.

The abundance of branches are short and thin and are covered with copious amounts of huge, perforated leaves with serrated edges. The leaves themselves are either green, or copper with magenta splotches.

In early spring, it produces handfuls of medium-sized, green blossoms with 5 V-shaped shaped petals. They are hardy and have a mildly strong scent that smells like burning wood.

In mid-autumn it produces tiny, stiff, pointed fruit. The soft slate skin is thick and edible when boiled; it is sweet and bitter, and the soft copper flesh is spicy and syrupy. The caramel seed is tiny and is in the centre of the fruit.

The roots are long and grow straight down, and overall the tree is sturdy and difficult to uproot.

Forests of this species feature trees spaced far apart, with grassy ground between them.