Blackfruit Tree

This small fruit tree grows up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and lives for up to 15 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 25 years old. It is very resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has a knobbly, crooked trunk covered in paper-thin, cracked, black with white speckled bark, and inside, the medium-dense wood is black.

The small bunches of branches are very long and thick and are covered with large amounts of huge, pleated leaves with irregular edges. The leaves themselves are light grey on the sides and slate at the center.

In early spring, it produces lots of tiny, bronze blossoms with needle-like petals. They fall easily and have an intensely strong scent that smells like honeysuckle.

In late autumn it produces tiny, 7 pointed fruit. The hairy cream skin is peel-able and sour and savoury, and the slightly crunchy light grey flesh is sweet and sticky. The yellow seed is very large and is in the centre of the fruit.

The roots form a tightly packed ball, and overall the tree is rigid and weak, and breaks apart easily.

Forests of this species feature the trees packed together, with clear space between them.