Blueleaf Thistlefern

This short shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 153 years old. It is very susceptible to disease and insect infestation.

It has many wide, straight stems covered in silky, brown-green bark, and the wood inside is brown.

The branches are long and thick with hundreds of twigs that and are covered with small amounts of tiny, pleated, leaves with wavy edges. The leaves themselves are solid sky blue with orange patches, rigid and covered in fine hairs.

It produces lots of small, lilac flowers with wide petals. They fall easily and have a mildly strong scent that smells like fish. In midwinter it forms largegrey, spiky-shelled seeds.