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Waterstem Shrubby

Shrub type: Deciduous (Stores water in its stem)

This average-sized shrub grows up to 3 feet (91.4 cm) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 170 years old. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has dozens of wide, crooked stems covered in knobbly, white with black speckled bark, and the wood inside is yellow-brown.

The branches trail down towards the ground with dozens of twigs that and are covered with very large amounts of miniature, kidney-shaped, leaves with rounded edges. The leaves themselves are either azure or bronze, with pale purple streaks, flexible and rough.

In mid-spring it produces clusters of small, black flowers with many layers of petals with a tube-like floral cup. They fall easily and have a mildly strong scent that smells like sweat.

It commonly grows in large patches.
It is difficult to cut through.
It comes in 75 varieties.
It is suitable for creating tough, hard-wearing textiles