Garrya elliptica Coast Silk-tassel

An evergreen shrub or small tree that is native to coastal regions of California and Oregon. The leathery leaves have distinctive wavy margins and long, silvery, cascading tassels of catkins are formed in winter, usually from December to February. It was brought to Britain by the well known plant collector David Douglas in 1828. and it is widely cultavated in parks and large gardens for its atttractive winter catkins. Its foliage contains realitively high levels of the flavonoid rutin as well as a number of diterpene alkaloids and other substances which have been explored for their anti-inflammatory properties. It does not occur naturalised in WEst Glamorgan but is often planted.