Vitex, Chaste Tree, Lilac Chaste Tree, Monk's Pepper (Vitex agnus-castus)

My husband and I just purchased two of these for our front yard(coast of NC)...any tips on trim or best places to plant? We want them to grow tall and out...are we asking too much? I am new to your site...and loving it---thanks

Welcome to Dave's Garden, it is absolutely the best place on the internet! I have 3 of these and they are more like 8 ft tall bushes now. I don't know about trimming to make them into canopy trees. There is a home here that has about 5 of them as a border and they are around 25 ft tall and all the branches are at the top. I don't know how that happened, if it was natural growth or if they trimmed them. They are spectacular when they bloom and are in full sun. If I can get any information I will share it with you. Good luck with your trees, you will love them!

Hi Weeds,
This is a beautiful plant. Sort of looks like a butterfly bush. My mother would love it. Do you know if it can be rooted by a limb like azaleas and altheas?
tsavo

I am not sure about rooting them but they will be trees and grow pretty fast. I have tried to root some recently but have not had success yet. I will try again this fall. They have a nice aroma too besides beautiful blooms but lose their leaves in the winter here.

Oh...thanks for responding. I will have to ck at the nurseries around town for one to plant in the spring:)

Weeds that is a beautiful tree. I have never heard of it before and I assumed that is because it is tropical. But when I looked it up on the PDB I saw it is hardy to my zone 5b!! I am amazed. I wonder why I have never seen any around here?

I think they are just getting popular maybe? I see them rarely here but am starting to notice them more. I think they are wonderful.

Hey fellow gardeners, After first discovering this plant at Geo Washington's home on the Potomac I planted my vitex six years ago on the south side of our house at the base of a brick chimney. Last winter was particularly cold and prolonged and this spring no part of the 6 foot plant leafed out. So I (regretfully) pruned my vitex to the ground. Now I am happy to report the sprouting of some new growth from the remaining stump.

I live in upstate New York by the Erie Canal and hope, with some additional mulching this fall, to bring the plant back to its former splendor. I look forward to again enjoy our Chaste Tree's aeromatic foliage and 'delft blue' flowers.

I found a small branch of this tree in Wimberley, TX., where my folks live 2 years ago. It had evidently broken off someone's plant, fond it's way into the river and drifted downstream catching on a small tree growing on a large rock in the shallow bed of the Blanco River. Where the stem was in the water, it had taken root and was blooming. I took it home and planted it at my Mom's. I have since, taken cuttings, earlier this summer, and using root tone, started plants from them. Hope this will help. It has taken a while for me to find out WHAT exactly this plant was, though. I knew the flower resembled the Buddlhea as I have many of those.

This message was edited Monday, Sep 8th 12:40 PM

I am so excited to finally put a name to my beautiful bush!
I have tried for years to figure out what it was. It has five leaves, it is so beautiful & fragrant, but late blooming. Is it normally found in southern missouri? I have never seen another here....and believe me I've looked. Thankyou so much for your help . Do you know when I prune it back? I did a few years ago but it didn't seem to have any advantage. It was just smaller the following year.maybe more dence. it is growing in a shady garden. Bees love it!

I had forgotten about this thread! Hi mogul, I don't prune mine so haven't a clue but it is one lovey tree. Mine are about 10 high now and bushy, I just leave them alone and let nature do it's work.
Crim, I have seeds and I am gonna make you one of these trees by air layering or rooting in water or somehow!

Ohhhhhhhhh yay!!! Thank you weeds!!! It's so purdy! I gotta get to your house soon,lol. I have some pondy/boggy stuff for ya.

I just discovered that my garden pond was covered with tiny green plants that have long roots and I believe it is the seeds that have fallen off,landed in the water and rooted.....Yeah!!! I am trying to plat them, I will let you know...But the waaater really did root them. I was suprised. All of my family gets one if this works!

My brother John in tulsa has located one that he thinks is growing wild. It is over 20 feet tall. 15 wide! He wants to dig it up for me ??? do u think it will work? lol!!!

Mogal- if it has roots- it CAN be dug!!!
I used to dig HUGE pines/cedars for my aunt (I was like 15). Then I'd drag them home like 1/2 a mile,LOL. (with my HANDS!)

Let your brother do it- hehe. Save you a backache! Good luck keeping it alive, muhahhaa.

Wow, that would be a great deal if it lives. I have not had much luck moving trees, even small ones, but I think it is because I did it in the summer heat. Shoulda waited til fall or winter I think.
Seeds rooted in water eh? Hey now that is something I have not tried but I will!
Crim, get your behindy down here...got plants for you and your mom!

Hi folks! A word of caution: Don't assume a chaste tree is dead just because it doesn't leaf out right away in the spring. Mine always buds a month or six weeks behind my other shrubs - it seems to be waiting for the REAL warmth. The others get frosted off sometimes, but the chaste tree never does.

I'm dazzled by the sizes you're reporting! I was told chaste trees only get 10 feet high at the max. Mine is about 6 feet so far, but there is an oldish one across town that looks to be about 15 feet. (It's in a yard with grass -which I don't have- so it probably gets pretty regular food and water runoff from the lawn.)

They seem to be remarkably trouble-free. Except for that playing-dead thing . . .
:-)

Hi Guys - I'm new on the block. I have looked for this plant for 2 years in Va. Today I found one, but mine is called a Colonial Blue Chaste Tree. I have not seen it referred to that name, at least not so
far. I grows here in Va in the middle of a shopping mall in full sun, they are unbeleivably beautiful. The tag on this one says it will get to only be 15 feet in height and 15 wide. Anyone out there have this type and suggestions before I plant it?

Yours does resemble a buterfly bush and is the most attractive picture of all. Maybe it likes natural humidity even though drought tollerant. I have heat but dry climate. Do you have clay soil or rich?

Beautiful tree! I will have to try one next spring. Here is a link for additional info. Thanks for posting!

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/extension/newsletters/hortupdate/jun04/Vitex.html

This message was edited Nov 3, 2006 5:34 PM

My neighbor has this plant, and I think this is IT!!! I googled it and it has to be this shrub/tree.
Don't you think?

That is a beautiful speciman of a Vitex tree. Mine are blooming now and I just love them. Trouble free plant!

I need one immediatly or two. How do they do in poor soil or drainage? Do I need to really ament a huge area? zone 8b

another picture. We live in a place with tons of limestone, and very poor soil. This little tree and his brother live in a planting bed that gets watered regularly, with lots of sun.
I wish I knew how to make a cutting so I could put one in my yard.

I have two of the vitex/chaste trees. One was purchased potted and the other was grown from seed. The older one is about twenty five feet tall,the one grown from seed is about three years old and is six feet tall. I have grown quite a few from seed with very few failures. In my area the tree attracts bumble bees by the hundreds. No humming birds,butterflies, or any other critter, just bumble bees. The tree shown in the photo was planted in 1998.

something to consider since I recently heard on the news that 90 % of the bees in the high desert in Ca. are africanized bees . A little scary with some of my plants like the virginia creeper attracts bees too so does the huge pyrocantha.

texyplantluva;
Just read on this site about propogating plants and shrub. Check out this link .http://www.freeplants.com/frame

Thank burn...I will.