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Ozarks Gardening

who can give advice on a Vitex/Chaste tree? Thank you!

19 years ago

Hi!

I am looking for a Vitex/Chaste tree which can grow in a zone 5. I've checked all the nurseries I was able to find, and it seems, they all offer plants for the zone 6 and up. Does anybody has experience of growing vitex in a zone 5?

Chaste tree's seeds are popular for medicinal use (if you are interested, you could check the http://www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?ID=430, we do have treasures growing in the backyard sometimes:)

If anybody can advise on which variety is better for medicinal use, I would greatly appreciate it!

Thanks a lot!

Olga

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Comments (8)

mel_mo
19 years ago
Olga,
As you know Chaste Trees are herbs. I have two in my landscape, now each about 9' tall. I don't know if they would make it in zone 5. I see them typically in Zone 6 or warmer. I've attached a link to pictures of my chaste trees, btw.
I have tried to grow them from cuttings and did get a few started, but they died early (not sure why).
I was at a nursery in Joplin, MO last week(try www.botanyshop.com) and they had 3 or 4 chaste trees for sale for $18 each. The trees were about 30" tall. They do have an email address and are very helpful. So perhaps they can answer your zone 5 question.
Also, if you go to GardenWeb's Herbs Forum, there have been a few discussions on chaste trees. (just search the forum)
Mel

Here is a link that might be useful: my chaste trees
Millie_36
19 years ago
We have the common pale lavender one for bees. I have never seen any sign of freeze back on it and we had it here when the temps dropped to -14 and stayed below zero for about 10 days back in 83/84. If you would like, I could send some seed late this fall.
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When you say that "It gets the buds but they don't turn purple" does it actually get flower buds that then turn brown and fall off, or could you be mistaking leaf buds for flower buds? If not, at what stage of development do they stop? It may be that even though to you, the culture is identical, the soil or drainage patterns are different for one to the other, and it isn't getting enough water. What fertilizer did you use on it this year? If it is a high-nitrogen one, then it may have pushed all leaves, at the expense of flowers. Any future fertilizer should be one with a low first number, since that denotes the amount of N/nitrogen, as compared to P/potassium and K/phosphorous. Roots and flowers are governed by the P and K amounts. It is possible that the white one is cutting-grown and the other is seed-grown. Seed-grown trees/shrubs frequently take longer to flower than cutting-grown ones. If it was flowering when you got it, then is it getting extra nitrogen in someway, say from run-off from a fertilized lawn? My 2 purple Vitex, 2 different cultivars, are flowering now, and have been for a week or 10 days, but I don't know how your climate/flowering habits differ from mine - my weather has been screwy this year, more so than normal.
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Whoa. Okay, thank you for the sand tree info. I crossed it off the list. The only one I have left is another sargent crabapple. I have another in a different part of the yard and it does really well for itself. I thought I would shake things up a bit and have variety, but I guess I won't. As for the dog, I do appreciate the advice, but he's doing quite well with "leave it". However, as he is a very young guy, and prone to chewing on occasion, I would rather avoid sticking something toxic right in front of him and setting us up for the ultimate failure. Thanks again everyone!
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Vitex has been in bloom all over town and I have been snapping pictures will my cellphone. Forgive the fuzzy pics but I wanted to share about the beautiful tree, one of my favorites to stop and look at in bloom. Here it is definitely a tree, not a shrub, and my compatriot(e) Natal has a nice picture above of her good-looking Vitex. See my pics for interesting use on commercial property, similar to the way crepe myrtle is used here in both residential and commercial landscaping. Pretty! Click "Next" to see all 4 photos. Here is a link that might be useful: Vitex in bloom
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I prune up the trunk of mine after it was a few years in the ground. Figure out which trunks you like best (I think I have three on mine) and prune off the waterspouts and shoots. They shape up easily if you can figure out your strongest, prettiest trunks to use and stay with that plan. I no longer trim the top of mine. I do think that they grow quickly, too. When watering to get a tree established, I water that circle of drip line beneath the tips of the branches. Chaste tree is drought tolerant once established, but can handle rain and humidity, too. Cameron
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kewpie
19 years ago
I have two in mid-Missouri that survived this winter. They were both one gallon size last year when I got them. So far, so good.
redhotflowermama
19 years ago
Have some seed that am trying to get started. Hope it makes it. Judy
posy_pet
19 years ago
We are now in zone 5-used to be in zone 6 surrounded on 3 sides by 5.I have had a vitex(the purple one)for years.Mine has frozen back to the ground but hasn't for many years.I had one that I thought came from a root and it was a pale pinky lavender.I also started some from cuttings that survived.You have to take softwood cuttings if I remember right(in the spring).I have never had any come up from the seeds that I knew of.It is one of my favorite plants.It has a very nice smell too(the leaves do)Posy Pet
mel_mo
19 years ago
Thanks for your info on cuttings, Posy Pet. Think I'll try some again this year.

There have been discussions on chaste trees in the Herbs forum, if anyone is interested. Just search "chaste" in that forum. I have read a few places that it is rare to start them from seeds.
Mel
semesterke
13 years ago
For what it is worth I planted 2 in the fall of 2009, here in Two Rivers, WI. Pic's at http://yfrog.com/mmchastetrees001j and http://yfrog.com/emchastetrees002j . I placed stone around the base of each as shown here. http://yfrog.com/3wchastetrees003j . Long after I felt they both were dead, both trees started to send sprouts in early June and produced flowers as shown here. http://yfrog.com/bhchastetrees004j . Fly's, birds and bees love this plant. Even had rabbits eat from it and still the trees grew. Would suggest giving this plant a try
helenh
13 years ago
Thanks semester. Sounds like it is plenty hardy for us in the Ozarks. I have one in a pot; I need to find a good spot for it. I like the blue flowers too.

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