Silk tassel tree preparing to flower

We have a silk tassel tree (Garrya elliptica) in or garden and every winter it blooms. I think this may be a female, as the inflorescences are more grey in colour and only about 6 inches max in comparison to the 12 inches described for the male tree. Fabulous cheery tree - always seems as if these appear overnight and before the winter is through, we'll have yellow pollen all about. Amazing that it's a native of the US West Coast - seems to like Scotland :-)