Vitex agnus-castus Silver Spire - Chaste Tree

Vitex agnus-castus 'Silver Spire' is a particularly floriferous and bright variety of Chaste Tree, with beautiful silver-white flower spikes, reminiscent of a buddleia, blooming en masse in late summer. Like the wild species, which is sometimes called Monk's Pepper, Chaste Tree or sometimes Chaste Lamb, this variety also feeds bees and produces red and shiny 'peppercorns' that persist throughout winter. Its beautiful dark green foliage is aromatic when crushed. Vitex is among the most robust and least demanding shrubs: it will find its place in a naturalistic garden or in a free hedge.

Vitex agnus-castus Silver Spire is a beautiful deciduous shrub belonging to the Verbenaceae family. Its wild ancestor is native to the Mediterranean basin and Asia Minor, where it is frequently found along the seaside, planted in sand and directly exposed to salt spray. This Silver Spire variety forms a generally rounded, slightly spreading bush in a few years, all the more dense if regularly pruned. Ultimately, it will measure about 2.5 m (8 ft) in all directions, or even more if not pruned. Its flowering takes place from early August to late September, depending on the climate, on the current year's growth. It takes the form of thin and elongated flower spikes, adorned with tiny nectar-rich white flowers. It then forms small fruits the size of peppercorns, which are aromatic, dark red and shiny and persist until winter. The fast-growing stems are strong and very flexible. They bear palmate leaves, divided into 5 tapering lobes, and their colour is a beautiful bluish dark green. This deciduous foliage turns yellow in autumn before falling. When crushed, it releases a strong pepper scent, hence its nickname of Pepper Tree. Vitex develops a very deep root system, allowing it to draw moisture from deep down when summer is dry.

Often found along the coast, Vitex agnus-castus is very resistant to summer drought once well rooted. Having retained the qualities of this undemanding and sturdy shrub, the 'Silver Spire' variety naturally makes an excellent plant for coastal gardens. Its cold resistance (down to -15 °C (5 °F)) makes it accessible to many gardens, whether natural or without irrigation. It can be integrated into a free hedge or grove, in the company of oleanders (in mild climates), botanical roses, Indian Lilacs, buddleias, or even summer tamarisks, for example.

Its vernacular name, 'Monk's Pepper', dates back to the Middle Ages, when some clergymen consumed the berries of the shrub to resist temptations of the flesh. Since then, studies have proven the plant's properties in relieving problems related to hormonal fluctuations in women. In Ancient Greece, Vitex stems were used to make strong bindings. Legend has it that Ulysses tied his companions with such ties, under the bellies of sheep, allowing them to escape from the Cyclops' cave.