 For identification purposes Congdon silk-tassel ("Garrya congdonii") is most closely related.Congdon silk-tassel has the same leaf appearance, but leaf hairs are distinguishable with a hand lens, and both leaf blades and petioles are about two thirds the size of Coast silk-tassel.Both Fremont silk-tassel ("Garrya fremontii") and ashy silk-tassel ("Garrya flavescens") have similar fruit characteristics, but have a flat leaf margin.