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Vitex agnus-castus f. latifolia
  • RHS AGM

broad-leaved chaste tree

A large, spreading, deciduous shrub with dark green, palmate leaves comprised of five or seven oval, pointed, aromatic leaflets. Branched sprays of small, purple (occasionally white or dark blue), fragrant flowers appear on the ends of the branches in early to mid-autumn

Synonyms
Vitex agnus-castus var. latifolia
Vitex macrophylla misapplied
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Size
Ultimate height
4–8 metres
Time to ultimate height
10–20 years
Ultimate spread
4–8 metres
Growing conditions
Chalk
Loam
Sand
Moisture
Moist but well–drained, Well–drained
pH
Acid, Alkaline, Neutral
Colour & scent
StemFlowerFoliageFruit
Spring Green
Summer Green
Autumn Purple Green
Winter
Position
  • Full sun
Aspect

South–facing or West–facing

Exposure
Sheltered
Drought resistance
Yes
Hardiness
H4
Botanical details
Family
Lamiaceae
Native to the UK
No
Foliage
Deciduous
Habit
Bushy
Genus

Vitex are deciduous or evergreen trees and shrubs with palmate leaves and terminal sprays of tubular, two-lipped flowers

Name status

Correct

How to grow

Cultivation

Grow in any well-drained soil in full sun. In frost-prone areas shelter from cold, drying winds. Best grown near a south or west-facing wall

Propagation

Propagate by seed sown in autumn or spring, or take semi-ripe cuttings in summer

Suggested planting locations and garden types
  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Mediterranean climate plants
  • Flower borders and beds
  • Wall side borders
Pruning

Pruning group 6

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

May be susceptible to honey fungus in gardens where it is present but insufficient data to determine degree of susceptibility

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