Garrya elliptica (Silk Tassel Bush)

Garrya elliptica is originally from California and Oregon. This large shrub/small tree is pretty hardy, tolerant of pollution, a good coastal plant, it’s evergreen and although it could reach 4m x 4m, it doesn’t mind being pruned. The leaves are a dark shiny green above and a felted grey beneath.

This is a lovely shrub year-round, but it really stands out as one of the’ harbingers of spring’ since it is in the drear months of January and February that the Garrya elliptica produces masses of pendant grey-green catkins. The female catkins can grow to 10cm long, but it is the male plant that produces the real drama with catkins up to 30cm in length. Because of this it is usually the male plant that is offered for sale. We don’t yet have the climate, but who knows how the future will develop, so should you grow both male and female plants, and get the right sort of summer as well, then the female can provide its own summer drama with long racemes of round red fruits.

Conditions in the West Country particularly suit this plant. Garrya elliptica is hardy down to -5 or -10 degrees and looks best if planted in a place where there is some shelter from the cold, drying northerly and easterly winds since these can scorch the foliage. As long as the soil is well drained, it’s not fussed and grows on chalk, loam, sand and clay.