Mexican Silktassel
Garrya ovata
Last reviewed: October 2026
Toxicity unknown
Mexican Silktassel (Garrya ovata) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.
Light
full sun
Water
low
Size
72"–144" H × 36"–72" W
Bloom
Mar, Apr, May
Native to
TX
Before you buy
Your city may pay you to plant this
Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 459 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.
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Mexican Silktassel is an evergreen shrub that produces distinctive drooping clusters of silky catkins in spring. It grows 6-12 feet tall with a naturally rounded form and requires minimal water once established. The gray-green foliage provides year-round structure in the landscape.
In an HOA neighborhood
Mexican Silktassel takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Works well in: backyard only.
- Height exceeds typical HOA-friendly range
Wildlife value
The spring catkins provide early season nectar for native bees and other small pollinators. Birds may use the dense branching structure for nesting and shelter.
Common questions
- How much sun does Mexican Silktassel need?
- Mexican Silktassel grows best in full sun conditions.
- When does Mexican Silktassel bloom?
- Mexican Silktassel blooms in March, April, and May.
- Where is Mexican Silktassel native?
- Mexican Silktassel (Garrya ovata) is native to TX, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
- Is Mexican Silktassel HOA-friendly?
- Mexican Silktassel takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.
Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.
If something looks wrong
Common plant problems, and what to check first
These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.
- It is dying right after planting
- Leaves turning yellow
- Wilting even though I watered it
- Brown crispy leaf tips
- Bugs on the plant
Ready to grow Mexican Silktassel? Add it to your garden in Pollinator Patch to track it and get season-by-season care guidance.