Waterstem Bush

This modest-sized shrub grows up to 2 feet (61.0 cm) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 172 years old. It is very susceptible to disease and insect infestation.

It has many wide, slanted stems covered in fine, wrinkled, brown-green bark, and the wood inside is pale brown-grey.

The branches trail down to the ground with thousands of twigs that and are covered with small amounts of giant, broad, flat, leaves with jagged edges. The leaves themselves are copper with dark brown tips, rigid and clammy.

In late summer it produces many bunches of tiny, cyan blossoms with stiff, pointed petals with a trumpet-shaped floral cup. They are sturdy and have a faint scent that smells like cherry.

In early winter fan-like fruits ripen. The smooth grey skin is peel-able and inedible, and the soft light grey flesh is sweet and spicy and powdery. The gold seeds are tiny and are scattered throughout the fruit.