Vitex Chaste Trees - Beautiful and Beneficial!

[@MrChangeordie]

Thanks for giving a honest perspective on the Beez 😎👍

[@CVetteMan1111]

We’re in Zone 9b Central Florida. Our Shoal Creek Vitex is planted in an area where it is accessible 360 degrees around with open space to navigate. With good airflow on the south side of our house where it gets full sun from dawn to dusk. These babies get big quick and it’s important to decide how you want to grow the plant while it is still young. You have to consider many factors when planting them. Consider beyond their beauty how your neighbors will feel about having a pollinator airport next to their houses. Fertilizing them once a year is plenty if you do it at the right time. Plan a focused pruning during fall or winter and minimally invasive pruning during spring and summer to increase bloom flushes. This plant will attract virtually every pollinator known to man. Almost any insect with wings will arrive once word gets out. Even cardinals, small humming birds, and scrub jays take interest in it. Prune them like you would prune a crepe myrtle. The classic V shape. The Wineglass. Or the umbrella style. You can grow them like a tree but once the canopy gets too high up it takes the fun out of enjoying the pollinators because they’re too far away to see.

[@tylercox8819]

Absolutely agree! I have to walk near mine and bump into it when walking around my deck. I'm a bee keeper and I get stung more walking by that tree than I do when I do hive maintenance! It attracts a ridiculous amount of pollinators, and they make amazing honey!

[@HusseinTenywa]

Thanks for update UNIVASI

[@2HimTru]

Would like to see a wide variety of photos here of front yard landscape islands having one or two Chaste Trees with complimentary color shrubs planted around the Chaste Trees for great curb appeal.

[@maecarpenter6735]

Lovely elocution! I have often heard different tones in the bees' buzzes when gardening such as sleepy🥱, annoyed 😠, and busy🙂. I guess bees have different personalities, too.

[@AnoleGarden]

Thank you so much!😊. I think you are right!

[@pitbullbite5835]

Thank you!!!

[@plantsim]

I have never seen a vitex without 3 different bees on it!!

[@AnoleGarden]

Love it!

[@SLK-ep4fc]

Great presentation thank you.

[@michaelnuss7443]

Very good video. Completely agree with everything in your video. A spectacular sight when it's rock'n in the late spring--wow. I have two of them, that I hope to provide late afternoon summer shade for a corner of my patio. I also have them in a single trunk configuration. Could you do a winter trimming video? I would like to promote a 15' height 15' ~ 20' wide growth. Thanks, Mike Nuss--Deming, NM

[@AnoleGarden]

Thank you for sharing! That's a good idea for winter pruning. Jonathan has jokingly said that the vitex is "pollinator crack". Some of the insects behave so frantically/erratically even to the point of shoving other insects out of the way!

[@joergeabanador2423]

...in the Philipines we have native vetix negundo...the leaves are smaller than what you show,cluster leaves are 5 to 3,mostly 3 leaves...and it is approved by our BFAD as alternative medicine or proven effective medicinal plant...thanks for sharing...

[@AnoleGarden]

Thank you for sharing yourself! There are so many plants that are useful for so many things that most of us do not even know existed!

[@kimhanson6039]

bumbles like it so much they sleep on it

[@AnoleGarden]

Yes! It's something!

[@monjumia5333]

Love Lay

[@smflyboy]

Great video thx! I just bought my first one and I am propagating some cuttings right now. One question I have is once it blooms do you cut off the dead blooms to get new blooms or do you just leave it?

[@AnoleGarden]

If I am diligent and have time, I cut off the dead bloom. But I have been leaving them alone.😜

[@AnoleGarden]

You enjoy them. Happy gardening!

[@smflyboy]

@@AnoleGarden thank you! Does it bloom again if you just leave it alone? My Vitex is about a 15 gallon, maybe five feet tall. Once it blooms in the summer, the blooms only last a couple/few weeks. How do I get it to bloom again? Thx!

[@RoseTorn411]

I've heard vitex has invasive root system, can you confirm this?

[@patriciadorman382]

Oh great! I just planted two on each side of a bench. Now I’m worried about the bees. 😮

[@AnoleGarden]

The bees may be an issue only while the flowers are in bloom. 😬

[@joycemayor1705]

How do you prune back the Vitex tree?

[@rickring1396]

One clip at a time.

[@NsonguraEbebe]

Please how can I get

[@guest491]

Have you knowledge that bees like it in every state? I live in Las Vegas and honestly have only seen honeybees on the bottlebrush.

[@AnoleGarden]

No, I don't have knowledge of that. Since it grows in Hardiness Zone 6-9, I doubt that it grows in every State outside. Davesarden.com has two reports of it growing in Las Vegas. Hope that helps.

[@kaykaethomas2791]

My Chaste bushes leaves turning brownish or black spots but also see NEW growth, nice green leaves. Is this normal? I am in Zone 9b Bradenton fl. thank you Ps I did get some beautiful purple flowers but now seems buds bt not blooming?

[@AnoleGarden]

Mine are doing the same thing! Some of the old leaves turn brown/black and fall off. And on same tree, new leaves/ branches/blossoms form. But this bloom won't be as prolific as the Spring bloom.

[@kaykaethomas2791]

@@AnoleGarden Ok thank you...if this is the norm then we good. Appreciate your fast reply. I love these bushes and excited for spring see get big!

[@kaykaethomas2791]

Not sure if my question was seen? I have 3 chaste bush/trees in 3.48 containers. I want to plant maybe in a triangle in front yard. How far apart do I need to space them? 6' good?? thank you any help appreciated

[@AnoleGarden]

Spacing depends on your end goal. If you want it more bush like and therefore smaller, then about 6ft is fine. But if you want more tree-like, then space it 10ft to 12ft apart. Hope it helps!

[@kaykaethomas2791]

@@AnoleGarden Yes helps ALOT and love your video on this amazing tree/bush. I raise Monarchs and Pipevine swallowtails and any other butterfly who wishes to join in! I think these Chaste will even draw the hummingbirds so I am very excited and PURPLE my fav color. Thank you so much for fast reply as well!

[@h.d.currys3152]

It's also good for health if using herbs for women's balance.

[@AnoleGarden]

Thank you, I was not aware of that.

[@trkn5681]

'lt also attracts killer bees. As a matter of fact my husband is in the hospital right now. Hi honey'