# Coast silk tassel (*Garrya elliptica*)

The Coast silk tassel is a lovely shrub with long, silky tassels that hang from its branches. It grows in coastal areas and can be a beautiful addition to gardens, attracting birds and butterflies.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Coastal areas

![Coast silk tassel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Coast_Silk_Tassel_%28Garrya_elliptica%29%252C_Redwoods_NP%252C_Del_Norte%252C_California_1.jpg&width=800)

Photo: daveincamas, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Coast_Silk_Tassel_%28Garrya_elliptica%29%252C_Redwoods_NP%252C_Del_Norte%252C_California_1.jpg)

## Appearance

The Coast silk tassel has leathery, wavy-edged dark green leaves that are evergreen. It is most striking when its long, silvery-green male catkins hang like elegant tassels, giving it a unique, ribbon-like appearance.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Garryales
- **Family:** Garryaceae
- **Genus:** Garrya

## Interesting facts

- It can live for many decades, becoming a wise old shrub!
- Its scientific name, Garrya, honors botanist Nicholas Garry!
- Male plants have much longer, showier "tassels" than females!
- This plant is like a natural air conditioner for sunny slopes!

## Special abilities

- **Evergreen Power:** Coast silk tassel has leathery, evergreen leaves that help it make food all year, even in winter.
- **Pollen Power:** Its long, hanging catkins release tiny pollen grains into the wind, helping it reproduce without insects.
- **Coastal Shield:** It has thick, wavy leaves that help it survive strong winds and salty air found near the ocean.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 300-600 cm
- **Spread:** 300-600 cm
- **Flower Size:** 10-30 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late winter to early spring
- **Edible:** No
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** [Mule Deer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/mule-deer) (*Odocoileus hemionus*) — Deer browse its leaves.
- **Shelter:** [Western Bluebird](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-bluebird) (*Sialia mexicana*) — Offers safe nesting spots.
- **Depends on:** Garrya Moth (*Greya garryana*) — Moth larvae feed on its leaves.

## Traits

- [Ornamental](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ornamental): Ornamental plants are cultivated primarily for their aesthetic appeal, enhancing landscapes and gardens with their attractive foliage, flowers, or form.
- [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground.
- [Evergreen](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/evergreen): Evergreen plants retain their foliage throughout the year, never shedding all their leaves at once.
- [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms.
- [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Coast silk tassel?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Coast silk tassel?

300-600 cm

### How wide does Coast silk tassel spread?

300-600 cm

### How big are the flowers on Coast silk tassel?

10-30 cm

### When does Coast silk tassel bloom?

Late winter to early spring

### Is Coast silk tassel edible?

No

### Is Coast silk tassel toxic?

None

### What is Coast silk tassel's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Arcata Community Forest](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/arcata-community-forest) — California, US · Forest

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Coast silk tassel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coast-silk-tassel)