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Magenta Needlefruit

Fruit Tree type: Coniferous (Grows along the ground or other low surfaces.)

This short fruit tree grows up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) tall and lives for up to 25 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 36 years old. It is somewhat resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has a stocky, angular trunk covered in thick, waxy, dark green bark, and inside, the dense wood is black.

The branches trail down across the ground and are covered with sparse amounts of tiny, spear shaped leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are solid magenta or purple, with olive patches.

In early spring, it produces lots of giant, gold blossoms with needle-like petals with a tube-like floral cup. They fall easily and have a powerful scent that smells like paint.

In early summer it produces small, long, curved fruit. The leathery brown skin is thin and edible when roasted; it is sweet and savoury, and the crunchy peach flesh is sweet and very dry. The caramel seeds are tiny and are scattered throughout the fruit.

The roots are shallow and grow straight down, and overall the tree is rigid and weak, and breaks apart easily.

Forests of this species feature the trees packed together, with grassy ground between them.

The sap is edible and overwhelmingly spicy.
It is possible to grow it from cuttings.
It comes in 13 varieties, each with a different leaf colour.
It is suitable for creating flexible, durable textiles