<previous next>

Silverthorn

Shrub type: Deciduous (Stores water in the thickened base of its stem)

This massive shrub grows up to 12 feet (3.7 meters) tall and lives for around 13 years. It is very susceptible to disease and insect infestation.

It has several sturdy, wonky stems covered in knobbly, silver bark, and the wood inside is yellow.

The branches are short stubs with thousands of twigs that and are covered with small amounts of tiny, 6 pointed, leaves with rounded edges. The leaves themselves are copper and violet, durable and covered in fine hairs.

It produces thousands of giant, blue flowers with fan-like petals with a tube-like floral cup. They are very delicate and have a scent that varies in strength that smells like skunk spray. In late autumn it forms tinysilver, spiky-shelled seeds.

The colour changes depends on whether the soil is acidic or alkaline.
The stems are covered in large spikes.
Array