Chinese chaste tree
Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia

Family: Lamiaceae

What it is like

A shrub. It loses its leaves during the year. It grows 1-2.5 m high. The branches are 4 sided. The leaves are opposite. They are compound with 5 leaflets arranged like fingers on a hand. The leaflets are sword shaped and 3-15 cm long by 1-3 cm wide. They taper to the tip. There can be coarse teeth. The leaves are green and have a dense hairy covering underneath. The flowers are small and purple-blue. There are many flowers in groups at the ends of branches. The fruit are oval and 3 mm long. The are 4 stones with seeds.

Also put in the family Verbenaceae.

Where it is found

It is a tropical plant. It grows in mixed thickets on mountain slopes and along roadsides between 100-1,100 m above sea level.

Countries/locations it is found in

Asia, China, Himalayas, India, Indonesia, Nepal, New Guinea, SE Asia, Taiwan, Thailand

How it is used for food

The dried seeds are ground into flour. This is mixed with wheat flour and made into noodles.

Edible parts

Seeds

How it is grown

Plants can be grown from seeds.

Its other names

Local names

Ninjin-boku, Perdu suci cina

Synonyms

Vitex cannabifolia Siebold et Zuccarini;