Slate Peach Tree

This short fruit tree grows up to 5 feet (1.5 meters) tall and lives for up to 30 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 74 years old. It is very susceptible to disease and insect infestation.

It has a stocky, wavy trunk covered in thin, wrinkled, mahogany-coloured bark, and inside, the hard wood is black with white speckles.

The branches are very short, thin and wispy and are covered with copious amounts of huge, wispy leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are slate and azure.

In early spring, it produces handfuls of tiny, cream blossoms with broad, flat petals with a trumpet-shaped floral cup. They detach easily and have a delicate scent that smells like warm milk.

In early winter it produces tiny, finger-like fruit. The waxy slate skin is delicate and edible when roasted; it is very savoury, and the crunchy peach flesh is sweet and very dry. The caramel seed is very large and sits at the top of the fruit.

The roots are shallow and widely spread, and overall the tree is sturdy and rigid.

Forests of this species feature trees spaced far apart, with the space between them filled with thick undergrowth.