Agnus Castus, Lilac chastetree, Vitex, Chastetree
Vitex agnus-castus
Family: Verbenaceae
What it is like
Bloom Color: Blue, Lavender, White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early spring, Late summer, Late spring, Mid summer, Mid spring. Form: Rounded, Vase.
Vitex agnus-castus is a deciduous Shrub growing to 3 m (9ft) by 3 m (9ft) at a medium rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 7. It is in leaf from June to October, in flower from September to October. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Insects. Suitable for: light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils, prefers well-drained soil and can grow in nutritionally poor soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers dry or moist soil.
Height (m): 3
Where it is found
Damp places by streams and on the littoral.
S. Europe.
Conservation Status:
Countries/locations it is found in
How it is used
Food
Rating: 2
The fruit is used as a condiment, it is a pepper substitute. The aromatic leaves are also used as a spice. This plant forms one of the ingredients of the legendary Moroccan spice mixture 'ras el hanout'. Unfortunately, the seed is very unlikely to be produced in Britain.
Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.
Medicine
Rating: 5
Agnus castus has been used for thousands of years for its beneficial affect on the female hormonal system. Modern research has confirmed this use, the seeds being used to restore balanced functioning to the female reproductive system. The seeds and fruits are anaphrodisiac, aphrodisiac, galactogogue, ophthalmic, sedative, stomachic, women's complaints. Prolonged usage restores corpus luteum function. Unfortunately, the berries are unlikely to be produced in the British climate. The berries of this plant have a range of medicinal actions but possibly the most important is its ability to rectify hormonal imbalances caused by an excess of oestrogen and an insufficiency of progesterone. It acts upon the pituitary gland, reducing the production of certain hormones and increasing the production of others, shifting the balance in favour of the gestagens. Thus it has a wide application of uses in malfunctions of the feminine reproductive system and has been used with great effect in restoring absent menstruation, regulating heavy periods, restoring fertility when this is caused by hormonal imbalance, relieving pre-menstrual tension and easing the change of the menopause. Some caution is advised since excessive doses can cause a nervous disorder known as formication, which manifests as a sensation of insects crawling over the skin. The berries are considered to be an aphrodisiac, though other reports say that they are anaphrodisiac. The reason for this apparent disagreement is that the berries have a regulating effect on the body and so are likely to increase sexual activity in those who are not very active in this area whilst reducing it in those who are very active. The fresh berries are pounded to a pulp and used in the form of a tincture for the relief of paralysis, pains in the limbs, weakness etc. Other uses include: reduced flatulence, suppress appetite and induce sleep. Unproven uses include: treatment of impotence, prostatitis, swelling of the testes, sterility, swelling of the ovaries. Not recommended during pregnancy and could inhibit milk production. The German Commission E Monographs, a therapeutic guide to herbal medicine approve Vitex agnus-castus for premenstrual syndrome, and menopausal complaints .
Anaphrodisiac: Reduces sexual desire.
Aphrodisiac: Increases the sexual appetite.
Diaphoretic: Induces perspiration.
Diuretic: Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
Febrifuge: Reduces fevers.
Galactogogue: Promotes the flow of milk in a nursing mother.
Infertility: Used in treating problems of human fertility.
Ophthalmic: Treats eye complaints.
Sedative: Gently calms, reducing nervousness, distress and irritation.
Stomachic: Aids and improves the action of the stomach.
Women's complaints: A very vague title, it deals with a miscellany of problems peculiar to the female sex.
Other
Rating: 3
A perfume is made from the flowers. Young stems are used in basket making. A yellow dye is obtained from the leaves, the seed and the roots. Wood - hard, close grained.
Basketry: Plant used in making baskets and other items such as chairs. Includes plants that are only used as an ornamental addition.
Dye: Plants that provide dyes.
Essential: Essential oils that are used in perfumery, medicines, paint solvents, insect repellents etc.
Wood: A list of the trees and shrubs that are noted for having useful wood.
Espalier: A tree or other plant that is trained to grow flat against a support (such as a trellis or wall).
Food Forest: Plants for Edible Forest Gardens and Food Forests.
Scented Plants: Plants noted for their scent
How it is grown
Landscape Uses:Border, Container, Espalier, Pollard, Standard, Specimen. Prefers a light well-drained loamy soil in a warm sunny position sheltered from cold drying winds. Succeeds in dry soils. Intolerant of water-logging. Hardy to about -10°c, this species only succeeds outdoors in the milder parts of Britain, though it grows well on a wall at Kew. Plants only flower freely in a warm summer, so they are best grown against a sunny wall even in areas of the country where they are hardy. The plants failed to open their flowers on our Cornish trial ground even after a very hot summer. The flowers are produced so late in the season that they are unlikely to produce viable seed in this country even if they flower properly. A very ornamental plant, there are some named varieties. The whole plant is aromatic, the leaves and stems are strongly aromatic, the flowers are deliciously scented and the dried seeds have a pungent lemony perfume. This species has long been regarded as a symbol of chastity. Flowers are produced at the ends of the current year's growth. Any pruning is best carried out in the spring and should consist of cutting out dead wood and shortening last year's flowering branches. Special Features: Fragrant foliage, Not North American native, Naturalizing, Attracts butterflies, Fragrant flowers, Attractive flowers or blooms. For polyculture design as well as the above-ground architecture (form - tree, shrub etc. and size shown above) information on the habit and root pattern is also useful and given here if available. The plant growth habit is multistemmed with multiple stems from the crown.
Propagating it: Seed - sow March in a warm greenhouse. The seed does not need pre-treatment. Germination is usually free and quick. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer of the following year. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, July/August in a frame. Good percentage. Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, November in a cold frame.
Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade;
Habit: Shrub
Hardiness: 7-9
Growth: Medium
Soil: Light (sandy), medium
Shade: No shade
Moisture: Dry, moist
Things to keep in mind
Headache, abdominal cramps and diarrhoea, increased menstrual flow, rashes, pruritus.