Chaste tree
Vitex agnus-castus
A fast, tough pioneer shrub that colonises disturbed ground, feeds pollinators all summer and bounces back hard from pruning — but its seeds have real hormonal effects, so handle with care.
Chaste tree in a syntropic line
Chaste tree belongs in the Medium layer as a Secondary species. The productive heart — most of your yield lives here. Rough in-row spacing starts around 2.3 m in a syntropic row. Good line partners include Aspen, Avocado. As a Secondary species it carries mid-term yield and structure while climax trees slowly claim the canopy.
Tolerances and growing conditions
- Strata
- Medium
- Lifecycle
- Secondary
- Soil preference
- Sandy, Loam
- Soil pH range
- 5.5 – 8.5
- Min. temperature
- -15°C
- Min. rainfall
- 350 mm/year
- Wind tolerance
- High
- Frost tolerance
- Medium
- Growth rate
- Fast
- Irrigation needed
- Low
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Waterlogging tolerance
- Low
- Origin
- Mediterranean
- Native to Portugal
- No
How to manage it
Fast riparian pioneer shrub; coppice or pollard hard in late winter to keep it dense and flowering, and to generate chop-and-drop mulch.
How to propagate
Sow seed in spring or take softwood cuttings in summer — both establish quickly.
Guidance, not a guarantee — success varies by species and skill.
What to watch out for
Seeds (chasteberry) have real hormonal/endocrine effects — avoid if pregnant, breastfeeding, or on hormonal medication. Can self-seed along waterways in warm climates; young plants are frost-tender below about -12°C.
Frequently asked questions about Chaste tree
Is chaste tree frost-hardy?
Yes for winter cold in many climates — generally hardy to around -15°C when dormant, with medium frost tolerance in the catalog. Flowering crops can still lose a season to late frost, so site them carefully.
What soil does chaste tree need?
It does best on sandy, loam ground, at pH about 5.5–8.5.
How much water does chaste tree need?
Plan for a rainfall floor around 350 mm/year, plus low irrigation once established.
Can chaste tree handle wet or waterlogged soil?
Poorly — chaste tree has low waterlogging tolerance, so keep it off winter-wet clay and standing water.
What should I watch out for with chaste tree?
Seeds (chasteberry) have real hormonal/endocrine effects — avoid if pregnant, breastfeeding, or on hormonal medication. Can self-seed along waterways in warm climates; young plants are frost-tender below about -12°C.
Design your line to see how your land fits Chaste tree.
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