Silverberry

This small fruit tree grows up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and lives for up to 10 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 27 years old. It is very resistant to destructive insect infestation but susceptible to disease.

It has a sturdy, wavy trunk covered in thin, silky, light gray bark, and inside, the hard wood is burgundy-brown.

The branches are long and thin and are covered with handfuls of miniature, V-shaped leaves with jagged edges. The leaves themselves are solid silver with light grey splotches.

In early spring, it produces handfuls of small, pink blossoms with fan-like petals with a bell-shaped floral cup. They detach easily and have a fairly strong scent that smells like pepper.

In mid-autumn it produces small, pleated fruit. The sticky red skin is tough and slightly savoury, and the soft turquoise flesh is salty and very juicy. The gentle green seed is tiny and sits at the end of the fruit.

The roots spread far and go deep underground, and overall the tree is sturdy and difficult to uproot.

Forests of this species feature well-spaced trees, with grassy ground between them.