Pepperbush

It is an upright, greyish, dioecious shrublet. It has male and female flowers on separate plants. It grows up to 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) tall. It has leathery, elliptical shaped and sometimes tufted leaves. They are 15–70 mm (1–3 in) long, pale green, smooth and have a dull, waxy coating. It blossoms between May and October and bears small waxy, white flowers, either in loose clusters on the male plants or 1 or 2 flowers on the females plants. The flowers have 4 petals. After flowering, the plant produces an ovoid shaped, seed capsule or 'fruit', which is often dry and brown, and shuttle-shaped. It is 15–20 mm (1–1 in) long. The husk splits into 2 halves to release the seeds. Small flatten discs with membranous wings.