Magenta Spike Bush

This short shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for around 93 years. It is not very resistant to disease and destructive insect infestation.

It has several slender, straight stems covered in delicate, smooth, brown-green speckled bark, and the wood inside is white with black speckles.

The branches are tall, rigid and upright with thousands of twigs that and are covered with small amounts of huge, umbrella-shaped, leaves with serrated edges. The leaves themselves are found in subtle red and aquamarine varieties, flexible and leathery.

In late summer it produces several large, bright orange blossoms with perforated petals with a tube-like floral cup. They fall easily and have a weak scent that smells like cherry.

In early winter small broad, flat fruits ripen. The smooth red skin is peel-able and inedible, and the very soft magenta flesh is extremely sweet and juicy. The silver seeds are small and are bunched at the top of the fruit.