PLANT OF THE MONTH

January 2022 — Silk Tassel

Common Name: Silk tassel tree

Latin Name: Garrya elliptica

Family: Garryaceae

Type: Evergreen shrub

Origin: Southern Oregon and California

Location at Bloedel Reserve: Gatehouse, Rhododendron Glen, Bluff Trail

Garden Uses: Hedge

Fun Facts: A low maintenance evergreen shrub that is also deer resistant! The Silk Tassel is a great border plant for anyone’s garden, coming alive this time of year with its pendulous blooms and wavy evergreen leaves. In the spring, the delicate strings of flowers turn a pale, silvery color. The specific epithet, elliptica, is derived from the Greek meaning ‘twice as long as broad’.