Diospyros Lycioides *Bluebush* Small Tree / Shrub * Tropical Fruit * RARE 5 Seeds

Diospyros Lycioides is a shrub or small tree that is a very tough plant which grows well in almost any country. Its most attractive features are its smooth bark, blue-green leaves, fragrant flowers and colourful fruits that attract many birds and insects. The bluebush is a slow to fast-growing plant, depending on the climate. It is a deciduous to evergreen shrub to medium tree up to 5 m tall with an open crown and drooping branches. It has blue-green leaves, arranged spirally at the ends of the branches. The bark is dark grey to brown and smooth on older branches and stems, but covered with long hairs on young branches. It bears tiny, sweetly fragrant especially at night, creamy yellow, bell-shaped flowers. It is necessary to plant both female and male plants to produce the attractive, deep-red, marble-sized berries which are eaten by various birds, dassies, monkey and also humans. The fruit has a pleasant, sweetish taste, with jelly-like flesh when ripe; the young fruit is covered by hairs, but is smooth when ripe and turns from red to reddish brown to black. It flowers from September to December and fruits from January to May.