Description

The southern silk tassel bush is found in California’s coastal mountains from San Luis Obispo County into Baja. It is one of six Garrya species in California, all of which share several characteristics which make them an excellent choice for the garden. They grow as rounded shrubs with gray-ish bark. The leathery leaves are oval and dark green. The structure is fairly open, but can be opened further to reveal the branch structure and bark. The silk tassels are named for the ornate, pendent inflorescences. Both male and female plants have these attractive flower structures, though the male flowers are considered more attractive. Another quality of the silk tassel bushes is their adaptability to diverse growing conditions. Various lighting and soil types are accepted. The southern silk tassel bush grows to a moderate size of about 8 feet, is evergreen, and may be naturalized, i.e. grown without supplemental irrigation.