Sourwood

This small fruit tree grows up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and lives for up to 20 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 45 years old. It is susceptible to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has a sturdy, slanted trunk covered in very thick, cracked, yellow bark, and inside, the dense wood is mahogany-coloured.

The small bunches of branches are short, thin and wispy and are covered with thick bunches of miniature, spear shaped leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are either green, or orange with lime zig-zags.

In early spring, it produces a thick sheet of medium-sized, purple blossoms with circular shaped petals. They are hardy and have a mildly strong scent that smells like something putrid.

In mid-summer it produces , 4 pointed fruit. The waxy azure skin is delicate and inedible, and the very soft orange flesh is sour and oily. The florescent orange seed is 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 well-spaced trees, with patches of undergrowth between them.