Lilac

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 very resistant to destructive insect infestation but susceptible to disease.

It has many long and flexible, wonky stems covered in thin, waxy, dark gray bark, and the wood inside is dark brown.

The branches are very long and thick with thousands of twigs that and are covered with sparse amounts of huge, fan-like, leaves with tattered edges. The leaves themselves are solid lilac with orange dots, tough and clammy.

In early summer it produces thick bunches of tiny, blue blossoms with needle-like petals. They detach easily and have an overpowering scent that smells like baby powder.

In mid-autumn very large trumpet-shaped fruits ripen. The fuzzy turquoise skin is peel-able and inedible, and the soft white flesh is bitter and oily. The red seeds are large and are located in the centre of the fruit.