Muted Red

This short shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for around 60 years. It is very susceptible to disease and insect infestation.

It has several wide, twisting stems covered in thin, silky, light brown bark, and the wood inside is pine-coloured.

The branches are short, rigid and upright that and are covered with thick bunches of large, broad, flat, leaves with toothed edges. The leaves themselves are found in green, muted red and blue varieties, light and leathery.

In mid-spring it produces hundreds of large, subtle green blossoms with perforated petals. They are sturdy and have a strong scent that smells like a newborn baby.

In late winter tiny long, tapering fruits ripen. The smooth gold skin is tough and inedible, and the soft magenta flesh is bland and dry. The vibrant green seeds are large and are scattered throughout the fruit.