Full Sun
Regular watering, well drained soil, drought tolerant once established
Tree/Shrub, multi trunk, purple flowers
Fast grower up to 25′ tall, more typically tops out at 15′ with a 15′ spread
Deciduous
Native to China, India, cultivated here since mid 1600s
Propagate from cuttings
Attracts bees, butterflies, hummingbirds
Used to be known as ‘Monks pepper’, potions from it were supposed to keep monks chaste
This is the first time I’ve grown Vitex and they’ll only been in the ground a week. Just in time for it to stop raining. Of all the plants I put in the last few weeks the Vitex are the only ones that haven’t shown any stress nor have they minded the lack of rain. I have them out in full exposed afternoon sun. Most everything there is wilting. These plants are quite content.
More info as I’ve had them longer…
So far they not only handle full sun in Houston and do better the more sun they receive. They are fast growers the ones in full sun are 3x-4x as large, the ones with a bit of shade are 2x as large as the last set of phones and it’s only been a year.
Keep up with the waterings, leaves shrivel when it’s dry and they don’t get a thorough soaking at least once a week.
These looked awful after the deep freeze. It took them about a month to bud but they seem to be recouperating. I gave them a hard trim, like a crape myrtle, I’m hoping for lots of twisted limbs.
Herself's Plants 
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