Silverbell

This short shrub grows up to 1 foot (30.5 cm) tall and lives for around 37 years. It is very resistant to disease but is susceptible to destructive insect infestation.

It has dozens of knobbly, crooked stems covered in smooth, silver bark, and the wood inside is pale yellow.

The branches trail down towards the ground with thousands of twigs that and are covered with handfuls of large, finger-like, leaves with smooth edges. The leaves themselves are generally olive, robust and sticky.

In late summer it produces several tiny, vibrant purple blossoms with slender, pointed petals with a bell-shaped floral cup. They fall easily and have an intense scent that smells like baby powder.

In midwinter wide fruits ripen. The waxy light brown skin is thick and spicy, and the crunchy copper flesh is sweet and syrupy. The white seed is very large and is in the centre of the fruit.