Copperfern

This short shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for decades, with the oldest known specimen being around 116 years old. It is not very resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has several long and flexible, wonky stems covered in smooth, copper-coloured bark, and the wood inside is burgundy-brown.

The branches are short, thin and wispy with dozens of twigs that and are covered with small amounts of huge, finger-like, leaves with ripped edges. The leaves themselves are magenta and aquamarine, delicate and smooth.

In early summer it produces handfuls of small, drab red blossoms with spiral petals. They detach easily and have a soft scent that smells like pepper.

In early winter pleated fruits ripen. The clammy turquoise skin is thin and inedible, and the slightly crunchy subtle green flesh is sweet and sour and powdery. The green seed is very large and sits at the top of the fruit.