Goldenvine

This large shrub grows up to 7 feet (2.1 meters) tall and lives for around 29 years. It is not very resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has numerous slender, slanted stems covered in cracked, brown-green bark, and the wood inside is pale yellow.

The branches are tall, rigid and upright with thousands of twigs that and are covered with thick bunches of miniature, long, narrow, leaves with toothed edges. The leaves themselves are generally lilac, hardy and rough.

In late spring it produces a handful of giant, gold blossoms with asymmetrical petals. They are hardy and have a fairly strong scent that smells like bonfire smoke.

In late winter tiny circular fruits ripen. The sticky blue skin is delicate and edible when cooked; it is sweet, and the soft cyan flesh is bitter and dry. The dark brown seeds are large and are scattered throughout the fruit.