Ashy Silk-tassel
Garrya flavescens
Care
full sun, part shade
very low
10–10ft tall
Resistant
Friendly
Oak woodland and chaparral of the Sierra Nevada foothills and Coast Ranges from Butte County south to Kern County, 1000-5000 ft elevation
Care Guide
Planting
Plant your Ashy Silktassel in full sun where it will thrive in the Bay Area's dry conditions. This shrub is extremely drought-tolerant and not fussy about soil, so choose a spot with good drainage and space it about 10 feet from other plants if you're creating a hedge. Fall through early spring is the best planting window in our region, giving the plant time to establish before summer heat.
After Planting
Water weekly during your plant's first summer to help it establish, then dramatically cut back - by year two, water only during severe drought or extended dry spells. Ashy Silktassel requires minimal pruning; shape it lightly in late winter if needed for hedging, but the plant naturally grows as an attractive 10-foot shrub. The biggest mistake gardeners make is overwatering this desert-adapted plant, which can lead to root problems, so err on the dry side once established.
Wildlife Supported
Insects
Specialist gall former on Garrya; larval development in galls year-round
Specialist gall-forming midge; larvae develop within plant tissues throughout year
Fungal associate on Garrya tissues
Opportunistic pollen source when available; evergreen catkin production provides winter forage
Mammals
Winter browse; critical forage during snow years in chaparral-woodland transition zones
Evergreen shrub provides year-round shelter and supplemental browse
Birds
Browse evergreen foliage during winter months when other food sources scarce