Bloodwillow

This enormous shrub grows up to 14 feet (4.3 meters) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 102 years old. It is susceptible to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has many narrow, twisting stems covered in silky, brown and grey bark, and the wood inside is black.

The branches are very short, thin and wispy with thousands of twigs that and are covered with copious amounts of large, thick, leaves with wavy edges. The leaves themselves are red on the edges and blood red at the center, hardy and covered in fine hairs.

In mid-summer it produces lots of giant, washed-out green blossoms with stiff, pointed petals with a bell-shaped floral cup. They fall easily and have a strong scent that smells like soap.

In mid-autumn perforated fruits ripen. The fuzzy slate skin is delicate and inedible, and the very soft indigo flesh is spicy and dry. The silver seeds are large and are scattered throughout the fruit.