Bronzeberry

This modest-sized fruit tree grows up to 17 feet (5.2 meters) tall and lives for up to 35 years, with the oldest known specimen being around 37 years old. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has a slender, straight trunk covered in thick, wrinkled, pine-coloured bark, and inside, the dense wood is yellow-brown.

The small bunches of branches are tall, rigid and upright and are covered with small bunches of giant, asymmetrical leaves with toothed edges. The leaves themselves are bronze and orange.

In early spring, it produces hundreds of tiny, purple blossoms with shield-shaped shaped petals. They are very delicate and have a strong scent that smells like chocolate.

In mid-autumn it produces small, finger-like fruit. The sticky bronze skin is delicate and inedible, and the slightly crunchy blue flesh is spicy and sour and dry. The red seeds are large and are scattered throughout the fruit.

The roots are thick and spread across the surface, as well as underground, and overall the tree is sturdy and rigid.

Forests of this species feature well-spaced trees, with the space between them filled with thick undergrowth.