Silverleaf Watermelon Bush

This modest-sized shrub grows up to 2 feet (61.0 cm) tall and lives for around 37 years. It is somewhat resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has several stocky, wavy stems covered in hard, knobbly, silver bark, and the wood inside is pale brown.

The branches are short stubs that and are covered with very large amounts of large, long, narrow, leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are moss green with lime tips, sturdy and smooth.

In late spring it produces thousands of small, silver blossoms with many layers of petals. They are very delicate and have a mildly strong scent that smells like apple.

In midwinter small fan-like fruits ripen. The fuzzy sky blue skin is peel-able and edible when boiled; it is salty, and the crunchy magenta flesh is bitter and very juicy. The black seeds are small and are dotted around on the skin of the fruit.