The Beautiful and Medicinal Chaste Tree

I met my first “chaste tree” at a Master Gardener class over a decade ago.

It’s proper name is Vitex agnus-castus, and there was a nice specimen growing in the demonstration gardens at the Marion County Florida Agricultural Extension Offices where we took our classes.

As part of our Master Gardener training, we took cuttings from this small tree and propagated them. The resulting rooted cuttings then went into our own gardens. I accidentally killed mine by moving it when it wasn’t fully rooted, but I liked the tree so much I went and bought another one from Taylor Gardens Nursery, back when they were still open.

After the day we visited that tree at the extension and started cuttings, I did more research on the species, discovering that it’s been used as a hormone balancer for women going through menopause, as well as a pleasant herbal tea. It’s also reported to lower libido, so if you’re considering taking Holy Orders, you might want to plant one of these. Chaste tree leaf tea has a nice, earthy, herbal flavor.

In the garden, chaste tree is a lovely ornamental that draws in pollinators. The foliage is green and silver, and the blooms are a lovely lavender.

It’s a good addition to a Grocery Row Garden even if you don’t use it medicinally, as it has a rich, earthy, herbal aroma, and sprays of purple flowers that attract butterflies and moths, as well as feeding bees and hummingbirds.

We have a limited number of chaste trees in the nursery right now, and will bring them to our sale this Saturday.

One of these lovely ladies is going to be planted in my Grocery Row Gardens this week, too. And I want to put another one in the food forest.

We have one in the herb gardens already, and simply love the way they look, smell, and invite in the good insects.

We love plants that have multiple uses, and this one is care-free and more beautiful than most.

THIS SATURDAY:

Come meet us and get some “GOOD” plants!

We will have our nursery booth set up on Saturday, JUNE 17, at the Atmore Flea Market, from 8AM to 1PM.

ADDRESS: 1815 Highway 21, 36502, Atmore, AL

Some of the plants for sale include: Pineapple guava, Chaste tree, Echinacea, Edible cannas, Sweet Shrub, Jerusalem artichoke, Comfrey, Tobacco, Bamboo (giant yellow timber type) “Robert Young”, Longevity spinach, Tropical milkweed, Chocolate mint, Stevia, Banana (Dwarf Cavendish), Daisies, Elderberries …and a few more rare tidbits

We will also have books, and would love to talk gardening when you stop by.

SPECIAL DISCOUNT OFFER!

We like to recycle pots and reuse them, so we’ll give you a $.50 credit on any blank, useable, one-gallon or larger pot you bring to our booth. Bring what you have and trade ’em in for plants!

Hope to see you there.