Vitex agnus-castus Magical Summertime Blues - Chaste Tree

Vitex agnus-castus 'Magical Summertime Blues' is an excellent variety of hybrid Chaste Tree, more compact and much more floriferous than the classic Pepper Tree, also known as Chaste Tree. This wide and bushy shrub offers an extended summer flowering, in the form of exceptionally long, fragrant flower spikes of a beautiful violet-blue colour, very decorative at the end of almost-black stems. It is well highlighted by beautiful greyish-green foliage with a slight aroma. Besides its ornamental qualities, this variety is resistant to cold as well as drought, tolerates sea spray, limestone and poor soils, and does not self-seed. 

Vitex 'Magical Summertime Blues' (synonym 'Helen Froehlich') is an American horticultural creation resulting from the cross-breeding of two botanical species: Vitex agnus-castus, native to the Mediterranean basin and Asia Minor, and V. rotundifolia, widespread along the Pacific Ocean coasts. Chaste Tree is often criticised for its excessive growth, disorderly habit, and lackluster flowering. All these flaws are corrected with this new compact variety endowed with remarkable flowering. Vitex belongs to the Verbenaceae family.

'Summertime Blues' has a broadly rounded, dense habit, with dark branches that stand gracefully. As an adult, it will reach an average height of 1.1 m (4 ft) with a spread of 1.35 m (4 ft) (up to 1.2 m (4 ft) tall and 1.2 to 1.5 m (4 to 5 ft) wide). Its flowering occurs from late July to early October, depending on the climate, on the current year's growth. Beautiful upright spikes cover the plant, measuring up to 40 cm (16 in) long and adorned with small bright violet-blue flowers. These flowers do not produce viable seeds, but they attract numerous pollinators. The fast-growing stems are sturdy, flexible, and almost black. In late spring, they develop fairly wide palmate leaves that are divided into lanceolate leaflets. Their colour is a slightly greyish green, matte, with a slight silvery hue on the underside. The foliage emits a light peppery scent when crushed. Vitex plants have a very deep root system, which allows them to draw moisture when the summer is dry. In very cold regions, the above-ground parts of the shrub will be destroyed, without detrimental effects on the plant, which will regenerate its vegetation within a few months and flower abundantly on its new growth. The deciduous foliage falls in autumn. 

Often found by the seaside, sometimes very close to the shore and anchored in the sand between rocks, Vitex agnus-castus withstands drought once it is well established, much like the Tamarisks with which it gets along well. Having retained the qualities of this undemanding and robust shrub, the hybrid 'Summertime Blues' variety proves to be much more decorative and easier to use in the garden, even when space is limited. Its modest growth allows it to easily integrate into shrub borders. For example, associate it with oleanders (in mild climates), butterfly bushes, crepe myrtles or even a summer tamarisk. This shrub, with its giant blue lupin-like appearance, is superb surrounded by yellow daylilies, shrubby millet grasses, or grasses like Miscanthus sinensis Yaku jima. If your climate allows, you can also combine it with a purple-leaved Pittosporum Tom Thumb.