Cheeseblossom Tree

This small fruit tree grows up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) tall and lives for up to 10 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 34 years old. It is very resistant to destructive insect infestation but susceptible to disease.

It has a narrow, wavy trunk covered in smooth, burgundy and brown bark, and inside, the medium-dense wood is gray.

The branches trail down to the ground and are covered with large amounts of huge, very thick leaves with irregular edges. The leaves themselves are red and peach.

In early spring, it produces large amounts of medium-sized, magenta blossoms with 8 pointed petals with a bell-shaped floral cup. They are hardy and have an intense scent that smells like cheese.

In early autumn it produces tiny, needle-like fruit. The rough magenta skin is tough and edible when roasted; it is overwhelmingly sour, and the slightly crunchy brown flesh is spicy and salty and dry. The grey seeds are small and are bunched at the top of the fruit.

The roots are thick and spread across the surface, as well as underground, and overall the tree is rigid and brittle.

Forests of this species feature the trees packed together densely, with the space between filled with undergrowth.