Southern Silktassle
Garrya veatchii
Care
full sun
very low
4–7ft tall
Resistant
Chaparral and oak woodlands of southern California mountains (San Diego, Riverside, Kern Counties), 3000-6000 ft elevation
Care Guide
Planting
Plant your Southern Silktassel in full sun - this is non-negotiable for healthy growth. Space it with room to reach its mature size of 4 to 7 feet tall and similarly wide. Plant in fall or winter when the plant can establish roots before the dry season; this shrub is native to California's chaparral and expects minimal summer water.
After Planting
Water weekly during your plant's first summer to help it establish, then wean off watering as it enters its second year - this is a very low water plant once established, so treat it like the drought-tolerant native it is. The #1 mistake is overwatering; after year one, let rainfall do the work. Deer won't bother it, and it's naturally suited to being used as a hedge, so prune as needed in late winter or early spring to shape it.
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Wildlife Supported
Birds
provides dense cover in chaparral and oak scrub associations typical of southern California range
Insects
fungal species utilizes plant tissue as substrate
feeds on plant sap throughout year on evergreen foliage
Mammals
browses evergreen shrub foliage, particularly during dry season when other forage limited
browses shrub foliage during fall and winter when drought-stressed plants are more palatable