The Chaste Tree

 

The Chaste tree turns blue purple 

in these days before the 4th of July every year.

Early this Spring it got a trimming of about a 1/3 off 

and still needs a bit of shaping.

When I see it locally, it is usually a bush.

Ours is definitely in the tree category.

We picked this up as a twig starter on a visit 

to Monticello probably about 30 years ago. 

They were doing a plant sale from the plants on the grounds

and this start came home with us.

This was one of Thomas Jefferson's favorite trees.

On April 11, 1807 he planted 9 rows of the Old World Native, 

grown mostly in the Mediterranean.

Vitex agnus-castus is the proper name.

He loved the tree because it drew bees, 

butterflies and hummingbirds.

 It is always good to add pollinators to the land.

It does the same thing in our garden and on a sunny day 

the tree throbs with movement.

It is a fast growing, drought tolerant shrub or tree 

and the spikes are fragrant and showy. 

It is also called monk's pepper and can grow in full sun

 with well-drained soil.

It generally has a 15-20 year life span, 

so our beauty is definitely on its second life.

The shrub was used for religious rituals in ancient Greece 

and among the Philistines in Palestine.

It has long been believed to be an anaphrodisiac,

( quells or blunts libido)

but its effectiveness is unproven.

Today original era descendants or similar specimens 

can still be found growing on the Northeast side 

of the house at Monticello and on the West Lawn

 near the South Pavilion.

So for this Sesquicentennial celebration, 

we salute a very great descendant 

of one of Thomas Jefferson's favorite plants.