Garrya elliptica

An eye-catching sight in winter is the handsome shrub Garrya elliptica, or silk-tassel bush, draped in flowers. These male catkins, up to 8 inches long, comprise lots of little flowers that, on close inspection, are creamy with pink markings and yellow anthers but overall appear silvery grey.

They remain for many weeks, contrasting well with the dense evergreen foliage. The leaves are blue- green and elliptic with very wavy margins. The female form of G. elliptica is not often seen, having shorter tassels followed by spherical brown fruit if a male specimen is nearby.

The shrub is native to the coastal strip of the United States from South Oregon to South California and was introduced to Britain by David Douglas in 1828. At this time Nicholas Garry was secretary of the Hudson’s Bay Company and the plant was named after him.

The best specimen in the Gardens grows outside the wall of the Marnock Garden (Area K on the downloadable map).