Climbing Hazelnut

This modest-sized fruit tree grows up to 11 feet (3.4 meters) tall and lives for up to 10 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 32 years old. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has a wide, straight trunk covered in very thick, knobbly, black bark, and inside, the dense wood is white.

The sparse amount of branches are short, rigid and upright and are covered with sparse amounts of tiny, 4 pointed leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are a shade of orange that gradient shifts to cyan at the top.

In early spring, it produces dozens of tiny, yellow blossoms with 9 crescent-shaped shaped petals. They detach easily and have a mildly strong scent that smells like coffee.

In early summer it produces very large, broad, flat fruit. The waxy magenta skin is stretchy and inedible, and the slightly crunchy hazel flesh is sweet and very juicy. The black seeds are small and are located in the centre of the fruit.

The roots are long and grow straight down, and overall the tree is sturdy and rigid.

Forests of this species feature the trees packed together densely, with patches of undergrowth between them.