Crimsonberry

This short shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 142 years old. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has several branched, straight stems covered in knobbly, brown-green bark, and the wood inside is burgundy-brown.

The branches are short stubs with hundreds of twigs that and are covered with copious amounts of miniature, thick, leaves with jagged edges. The leaves themselves are lime at the bottom and vibrant red with faded purple patches at the top, robust and smooth.

In mid-summer it produces copious amounts of large, olive blossoms with 3 cylindrical shaped petals. They fall easily and have a scent that varies in strength that smells like new carpet.

In late autumn large needle-like fruits ripen. The fuzzy pink skin is delicate and edible when roasted; it is salty, and the very soft green flesh is sour and sticky. The black seeds are small and are located in the centre of the fruit.