Garrya ovata facts for kids

Garrya ovata, also known as the eggleaf silktassel or Mexican silktassel, is a cool plant! It's a type of shrub that grows naturally in New Mexico, Texas, and parts of central and northern Mexico.

You can often find this plant growing in moist forests. It likes to live under taller trees, especially in places called Madrean pine–oak woodlands.

What Does it Look Like?

The eggleaf silktassel is a shrub that can grow quite large. It usually reaches about 6 to 8 feet (1.8 to 2.4 meters) tall and wide.

Its leaves are thick and feel a bit leathery. They are shaped like an egg, which is why it's called "eggleaf." Each leaf can be up to 4 inches (10 cm) long. When the leaves are young, they are covered in soft, fuzzy hairs called tomentose. As they get older, the top side becomes smooth (glabrous), but the underside stays fuzzy.

Flowers and Fruits

The flowers of the eggleaf silktassel are green. They grow in long, hanging clusters called racemes. These plants usually bloom in the spring, from March to May.

After the flowers, the plant produces small, dark blue fruits. These fruits are round and about 0.3 inches (8 mm) across.

Different Types of Eggleaf Silktassel

Subspecies Explained

Sometimes, plants of the same species can have slight differences depending on where they grow. These slightly different groups are called subspecies. Scientists recognize three main subspecies of Garrya ovata. Some experts even think these might be separate species!

• Garrya ovata subsp. ovata
• Garrya ovata subsp. goldmanii — (Wooton & Standl.) Dahling
• Garrya ovata subsp. lindheimeri — (Torr.) Dahling

Out of these three, only Garrya ovata subsp. lindheimeri is found growing naturally in the United States. The others are found mostly in Mexico.

See also

In Spanish: Garrya ovata para niños