Garrya elliptica (Coast or Wavy-leaf Silktassel Bush)
Botanical Information
| Family | Garryaceae |
| Genus | Garrya |
| Species | elliptica |
| Category | Woody |
| Type | Shrub (evergreen) |
| Origin | Introduced by Victorian plant collector David Douglas who was employed by the Horticultural Society of London (later to become the Royal Horticultural Society) in the 1920’s. Douglas was killed under suspicious circumstances on his return from the Pacific North-West via Hawaii in 1834 at the age of 35. |
| Pronunciation |
Details
| USDA Hardiness Ref. | |
| Canada Hardiness Ref. | |
| RHS Hardiness Ref. | |
| Temperature (°C) | -10C |
| Temperature (°F) | 15F |
| Height | 2-5 m |
| Growth | Slow |
| Flowering Period | March |
Description and Growing Information
| Habitat | Coastal ranges of California and southern Oregon. |
| Bark/Stem Description | The plant has smooth dark bark, dark-greenish when young, but with age the bark roughens. |
| Leaf Description | Waxy convex leaves with wavy leaf margins and dense individual hairs on the leaf undersides. Its leaf blades are 6-8 cm in length, and has petioles which range in length from 6-12 mm. |
| Flower Description | The dioecious flowers are concentrated in inflorescences which cascade downward as aments of 4-6 cm in length. The pendant male catkins are much more showy and are grey-green and up to 30 cm long; the female ones are shorter and silver-grey. |
Photographs
Garrya elliptica 'James Roof' in Van Dusen Garden, Vancouver, British Columbia.