Watermelon Oak

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 31 years old. It is very resistant to destructive insect infestation but susceptible to disease.

It has a branched, twisting trunk covered in knobbly, yellow-brown bark, and inside, the light wood is black with white speckles.

The abundance of branches are very long, thin and wispy and are covered with large amounts of miniature, long, narrow leaves with wavy edges. The leaves themselves are peach and bold green.

In early spring, it produces handfuls of small, red blossoms with pleated petals. They are sturdy and have a delicate scent that smells like cotton.

In mid-autumn it produces tiny, stiff, pointed fruit. The fuzzy silver skin is thick and sweet and spicy, and the crunchy dull orange flesh is sweet and spicy and syrupy. The bronze seed is very large and is in the centre of the fruit.

The roots are shallow and grow straight down, and overall the tree is sturdy, flexible, and difficult to uproot or break.

Forests of this species feature trees spaced far apart, with patches of undergrowth between them.