Carmine

This small shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for around 27 years. It is very resistant to destructive insect infestation but susceptible to disease.

It has many branched, angular stems covered in thin, silky, dark green bark, and the wood inside is pale brown-grey.

The branches are short stubs with thousands of twigs that and are covered with thick bunches of giant, circular, leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are blood red at the bottom and beige with violet lines at the top, frail and smooth.

In mid-spring it produces balls of tiny, caramel flowers with long, narrow petals. They detach easily and have a weak scent that smells like vanilla.