Silk tassel bush is a flowering evergreen shrub in the silktassel (Garryaceae) family that is known for its showy cascading flowers. It is native to the coastal ranges in California and Oregon and is found growing on slopes below 2000 feet. The plant will grow 6-8 feet as a shrub and up to 20 feet if grown as a tree. It is multibranched and as a shrub has a spherical form. Separate male and female plants occur. The male plants have long dangling showy catkins up to 12 inches long. The showy dried bracts stay on the plant through summer. The female catkins are shorter-about 2-3 inches long and both bloom late winter to early spring. If both plants are present the female will produce grape-like clusters of fruit that are attractive to birds. The leaves are shiny and leathery with wooly hairs on the undersides. This shrub can be used as a hedge or screen and is often seen growing against walls. Provide this plant with some protection from hot afternoon winds to prevent leaf scorch. It isn't too picky about soil as long as it is well-drained. It prefers moderately moist soil but will tolerate drought once established and is resistant to deer. This shrub will not do well in the hot humid southeast. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems: No significant problems but watch for leaf spot.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Available space
6-feet-12 feet; 12-24 feet
Mature size
Height: 7 ft. 0 in. - 20 ft. 0 in. | Width: 7 ft. 0 in. - 16 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Rapid
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
2 - Understory (15-40 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Dense; Erect; Multi-stemmed; Rounded
Texture
Medium
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Opposite
Leaf shape
Elliptical; Ovate
Leaf margin
Undulate
Leaf feel
Glossy; Leathery
Leaf size
1-3 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Opposite, elliptical to ovate leaves that have a tough leathery feel, glossy green on top, but paler and duller, with wooly hairs on the underside. They are 1.5 to 3 inches long
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Gray/Silver; Green; White
Flower value
Showy
Flower form
Catkin
Flower size
> 6 inches
Flower detail
Female catkins are 2-3 inches long and are silver-grey. The gray-green male catkins are 8-12 inches long and are much showier. The dried bracts remain on the plant well into summer as light gray decorations.
Bloom time
Winter
Fruit color
Black; Green; Purple/Lavender
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit value
Showy
Fruit size
< 1 inch wide
Fruit detail
Grape-like clusters of fruits. Individuals are 1/4 inch wide, starting out green and then turning pubescent with purple-gray hairs.
Bark color
Green; Light Brown
Bark detail
Bark is smooth greenish-brown when young and rough brown with age
Stem color
Brown/Copper; Green
Stem detail
Twigs are green and stout and mature to brown
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Native to coastal ranges in California and Oregon
Distribution
In CA, Coast Ranges from Ventura Co. n. to Lincoln Co., OR
Wildlife value
Birds enjoy the fruits.
Attracts
Songbirds
Play value
Attractive Flowers; Buffer; Screening
Food & Medicine
Harvest time
Fall; Summer
Fruit type
Berry
Uses (ethnobotany)
The Yurok Native American tribe would use tools made from this wood to scrape mussels off of rocks.