About Garrya elliptica Douglas ex Lindl.
Garrya elliptica, commonly called coast silk-tassel, silk tassel bush, or wavyleaf silktassel, is a flowering plant species in the family Garryaceae. It is native to the coastal ranges of California and southern Oregon in the United States. It grows as an erect, bushy evergreen shrub that reaches a height between 2 and 5 meters (7 to 16 feet).
This species occurs in multiple plant communities, primarily in drier coastal regions of California and southern Oregon that lie no more than 20 miles from the Pacific Ocean. Its main habitat associations are the coastal sage and chaparral ecoregion, Northern coastal scrub, Mixed evergreen coastal forest, and Northern coastal sage scrub. It can tolerate moderately heavy clay soils and serpentine terrain, and prefers soil pH between 6 and 8. Deer and rabbits do not graze on this plant heavily. It is hardy to cold temperatures around 15 °F (−9 °C), and is moderately drought tolerant, though it grows more lush with around 25 inches (64 cm) of annual rainfall. It is typically found at elevations above 200 meters (660 feet) in the mountains of the Pacific Coast range, including locations such as Montara Mountain, San Bruno Mountain, and Napa County.
Garrya elliptica is valued as an ornamental plant for its neat growth habit, and is widely used in landscape design. It is a low-maintenance plant that grows well in a range of locations, and is most commonly grown against a wall or used as a windbreak in coastal areas. Its cultivar 'James Roof' has received the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
