Garrya flavescens aka Ashy Silk Tassel

Garrya flavescens is a shrub in the Garryaceae family. It stays green all year. Common names include yellowleaf silktassel, ashy silktassel, and quinine bush. It grows wild in the southwestern United States and northern Mexico. Oregon State lists Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and western Texas. Its range also takes in Nevada and California. Kew lists northern Baja California as part of its native range. It is not native to Oregon or Britain.

This shrub has many branches. It grows about 6–12 feet [1.8–3.6 metres] tall. Its leaves stay on through the year. They grow in pairs across from each other on stems. Each leaf is simple, with no separate leaflets. Oregon State describes oval leaves. Their bases form a wedge, and their tips taper. Some tips end in a short, sharp point. The edges are smooth, with no teeth. Leaf colors range from yellow-green to a soft gray-green. Thick coats of fine, silky hairs cover the undersides. The tops have fewer hairs and feel like leather. Oregon State gives leaf lengths of about 1.2–2.8 inches. Virginia Tech records leaves up to 4 inches long.

The twigs range from fairly thick to stout. Hairs make their brown surfaces look gray. Some twigs have four angles, rather than a round shape. Young bark is smooth and ash-gray, with brown stripes. As it ages, the bark turns gray-brown and rough. These stem traits add detail beyond the year-round leaves.

Flowers come from late winter into early spring. Male and female blooms grow on separate plants. The small, gray-green flowers have no petals. They hang in silky groups shaped like catkins, forming tassels. Virginia Tech reports tassels up to 4 inches long. Oregon State describes dense groups of female flowers. Most male catkins have no branches. Fleshy fruits then form in hanging groups, often in pairs. Silky hairs coat each fruit. Their green color shifts to dark or pale shades. Sources list purple, dark blue, black, and whitish-gray fruit. Some fruits stay on the plant for a time.

Oregon State calls for sun. It reports that the shrub copes well with drought. It lists cold hardiness to USDA Zone 6. The year-round leaves, hanging flowers, and hairy fruit add garden interest. The supplied sources give no firm guidance on pests or disease. They do not establish edible uses or toxicity.