Clinging Indigo Vine

This modest-sized shrub grows up to 2 feet (61.0 cm) tall and lives for around 26 years. It is very resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has numerous stocky, straight stems covered in very thick, wrinkled, brown and grey bark, and the wood inside is black with white speckles.

The branches trail down to the ground with thousands of twigs that and are covered with large amounts of small, broad, flat, leaves with jagged edges. The leaves themselves are solid green with indigo streaks, frail and clammy.

In late summer it produces hundreds of tiny, olive blossoms with 3 pointed petals with a tube-like floral cup. They are hardy and have a scent whose strength depends on external factors, such as soil quality and rain frequency that smells like petrol.

In late winter finger-like fruits ripen. The rough blood red skin is thin and inedible, and the slightly crunchy yellow flesh is savoury and sticky. The olive seed is large and is in the centre of the fruit.