During a walk at the Flat Rock Park I spotted one of my favorite small flowering trees. The tree is Vitexagnus-castus. My favorite cultivar is ‘Shoal Creek’. This selection of the old-time chaste tree, a gardening favorite in the south since 1983, was selected from a seed row at Goodness Grows garden center which was located in Lexington, GA, just outside of Athens, GA. I first recall having seen this wonderful tree at that famous nursery while working there during my undergraduate days. Sadly the garden center is closed and both of the founders have passed.
Vitex is a small flowering tree that rarely exceeds 15-20 feet tall. Most gardeners and nurseries train the chastetree into a multiple trunk tree and when the trunk is limbed up 4-6 feet a wonderfully spreading branching habit is exposed. The bark is silvery gray and adds winter interest to the landscape during dormancy. Suckers (advantageous limbs) form readily on the trunk and branches so the plant must be pruned often to keep the desired form.
The chastetree prefers full sun to partial shade and is tolerant of most soils. It is tough, heat and drought tolerant, cold hardy and relatively pest free. These attributes make the chastetree a Southern gardener’s favorite.
‘Shoal Creek’, a purple flowering cultivar, offers spectacular color when in full bloom. Flower spikes begin forming in May and June and resemble the flowers of the butterfly bush (Buddleiaspp.). Varieties other than ‘Shoal Creek’ can be blue, lavender, pink or white although purple is the most common.
The 12-18 inch long flowers attract pollinators such as bees and other insects such as butterflies making it a wonderful butterfly garden plant from late June to September. Spent blooms from the early summer can be removed to encourage late summer flowering.
The leaves, which are finger-like in appearance, are dark green above and silver beneath giving the Vitex a soft appearance. The wind blowing the leaves gives the impression that the plant is changing color before your eyes.
Vitex is an excellent tree overall and has many uses in the garden and landscape. It makes an attractive and effective driveway border when spaced 20 – 30 feet apart. In the cottage garden it fills in corners nicely and allows for planting shade plants such as hostas and the like beneath it. Combine it with crape myrtles to create expressive and impressive color combinations.
You may purchase one at local retailers in containers or as a balled and burlap tree if you prefer a larger specimen. Vitex is also easily propagated from cuttings. Whether it is used as a specimen tree or an accent plant, the ‘Shoal Creek’ chaste tree offers endless beauty in the summer landscape.
