Waterstem Bush

This big shrub grows up to 9 feet (2.7 meters) tall and lives for around 72 years. It is susceptible to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has dozens of stocky, slanted stems covered in delicate, waxy, brown and grey bark, and the wood inside is yellow.

The branches are very short and thin with dozens of twigs that and are covered with large amounts of miniature, thick, leaves with jagged edges. The leaves themselves are grey at the bottom and blue with muted yellow splotches at the top, delicate and waxy.

In late spring it produces thick bunches of large, peach blossoms with slender, pointed petals. They are hardy and have the faintest scent that smells like fresh linen.

In early autumn small oval fruits ripen. The crispy sky blue skin is tough and edible when roasted; it is savoury, and the very soft pink flesh is sour and juicy. The bright green seeds are small and are located in the centre of the fruit.