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==News About Chasteberry== | ==News About Chasteberry== | ||
'''Vitex Plant Care''' | |||
*Source: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/start-vitex-seed-68464.html | |||
:By Joanne Marie | |||
The genus Vitex contains several plants that grow as deciduous shrubby plants or small trees and are called chaste trees or just vitex (Vitex spp.), depending on the species. All vitex plants have fragrant, showy, lilac-to-lavender flowers that attract butterflies. They all love a sunny spot and make attractive, versatile accents in a home landscape, whether used as specimens or as part of a mixed planting. | |||
:Climate and Site Selection | |||
Three types of Vitex plants are generally available to gardeners, each with slightly different climate and cultural requirements. One plant, usually called beach vitex or round-leaf vitex (V. rotundifolia), is a 1-to-2-foot tall, spreading plant that is not frost-hardy and suitable for U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10. The other two species include an 8-to-10-foot tall chaste tree (V. agnus-castus) and a 3-to-10-foot tall shrub (V. negundo), usually also called chaste tree. These two types are cold-hardy and can be grown in USDA plant zones 6 through 9, although they may need some winter protection in colder parts of zone 6. | |||
:Soil and Moisture | |||
All vitex plants do best in well-drained soil that is rich in organic content, although beach vitex can tolerate sandy soils typical of coastal areas. Beach vitex is also salt-tolerant and can handle wind quite well. Vitex plants prefer average moisture and grow best when watered regularly. However, since they are native to relatively dry parts of Africa and southern Europe, they are also tolerant of dry spells and can come through a drought undamaged. | |||
:Mulch and Fertilizer | |||
An annual applications of a 2-to-3-inch layer of organic mulch such as wood chips or grass clippings can help a vitex plant grow well, helping keep moisture in the soil and block the growth of weeds. Mulch should be renewed each spring or whenever it begins to break down. Although they are relatively carefree plants, you can help your vitex grow faster by giving it a light application of balanced fertilizer, such as a 10-10-10 formula, each spring and again in early summer. | |||
:Pruning and Problems | |||
All vitex plants produce attractive elongated clusters of lavender or purple flowers on the current year's growth. As a result, they can be pruned at any time, either to control their size or remove old stems, and generally respond well to hard pruning at the end of the season, producing vigorous new growth the following spring. Each vitex species is a vigorous grower, and beach vitex may grow out of control in its native coastal environment, where it can spread aggressively and needs cutting back on a regular basis. Vitex plants have no serious insect or disease problems, but fungal diseases such as leaf spot or root rot can develop if plants are grown in wet, poorly drained locations. | |||
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'''How to Start Vitex From Seed''' | '''How to Start Vitex From Seed''' | ||
*Source: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/start-vitex-seed-68464.html | *Source: http://homeguides.sfgate.com/start-vitex-seed-68464.html | ||