CHASTE BERRY TREE Flower 25 Seeds OTHER COMMON NAMES: Monk’s Pepper / Vitex / Chaste Tree / Chaste Berry / Abraham’s Balm SCIENTIFIC NAME: Vitex Agnus Castus COLOR: Light Purple PLANT SEEDS: Outdoors after danger of frost / Indoors weeks before last frost BLOOM TIME: All Summer HARDINESS ZONE: 6 - 9 PLANT HEIGHT: 12 - 20’ PLANT SPACING: 10 - 12’ LIGHT: Sun - Part Shade WATER : Average Vitex agnus-castus is widely cultivated in warm temperate and subtropical regions for its delicate-textured aromatic foliage and butterfly attracting spikes of lavender flowers in late summer in cooler climates. The leaves and tender stem growth of the upper 4 inches along with the flowers and ripening seeds, are harvested for medicinal purposes. The berries are harvested by gently rubbing the berries loose from the stem. The leaves, flowers, and/or berries may be consumed as a decoction, traditional tincture, cider vinegar tincture, syrup, elixir, or simply eaten straight off the plant as a medicinal food. A popular way of taking Vitex is on awakening as a simple 1:1 fluid extract, which is said to interact with hormonal circadian rhythms most effectively.The berries are considered a tonic herb for both the male and female reproductive systems. The leaves are believed to have the same effect but to a lesser degree. In ancient times it was believed to be an anaphrodisiac, hence the name chaste tree.