Friday, February 13, 2009

Chaste Tree - Vitex agnus - castus


Vitex agnus - castus, Verbena Family ( Verbenaceae ), Chaste Tree. Also Called: Monk's Pepper is a large irregular shrub or multistemmed deciduous tree, sometimes single stemmed. Considered pool friendly. Also considered butterfly friendly. Smells Great! Most flower types are purple but there are other colors that are a light purple - pink.
Height: About 10 to 25 feet. Same spread. Flowers: On purple spikes 7 to about 12 inches long, drooping from terminal portions of branches, appearing in the late spring and early summer. Blooming Time: April to June. Stems/Trunks : An attractive rough trunk; multistemmed deciduous tree, sometimes single stemmed. Leaves: The leaves are palmately compound; with an odd number of linear leaflets (usually 5); dark green above, lighter underneath. Seeds: Small hard round seed, smells like pepper, dark purple when ripe. Can hurt if stepped on barefoot. Elevation: 0 - 2,400 Feet. Habitat: Landscaping. Grows great in the Arizona desert. Will be a nice patio shade tree or small ornamental yard tree. This tree does go dormant in the winter.

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