Subject: chaste tree

From: [email-masked] (John W Bartlett)
Date: 5 Mar 1995 03:10:01 GMT

Many of my azaleas are leggy.Last year they were afflicted by stem
borers,requiring much pruning of dead branches.
I'm thinking about replacing some of them with the chaste tree (Vitex
agnus castus).Does anyone have any experience with this shrub.
How much sun does it need?Will it do OK here in zone 7?

---

From: [email-masked] (Molly555)
Date: 6 Mar 1995 21:43:17 -0500

I live right down the road from you and have both the cut leaf  and the
round leaf kinds of chaste tree. The round leaf one was given to me by
someone who almost got taken over by it. From all reports, and from seeing
one on Highway 54 the other day, they get HUGE.  The cut-leaf kind I saw
planted in the arboretum at NCSU, and tree-pruned. I loved it, and have
bought one for a vertical accent in my perennial bed. I fully expect to
have to keep on top of it to keep it from getting out of hand. They are
both much more vigorous than any azalea I've ever known! They have
beautiful subtle purple blooms in the summer, neat looking berries in the
winter, and nice gray green foliage when not blooming. If you can deal
with their heartiness, I think you'll be happy. 

Good luck,
Liza (in Raleigh, NC)
([email-masked])

---

From: Toni Haun <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 07:48:39 -0800

vitex is a marvelous small tree (8'-10'). replacing spring blooming azaleas 
with them might be a little bit of a problem though: they are one of the 
few flowering shrubs that does its thing in the fall...vitex blooms in 
early to mid-september here in usda zone 8b. it is a wonderful deep blue 
violet and quite striking. i planted a seedling from a grower friend of 
mine in a place where i thought late blue would be nice, and wouldn't you 
know the seedling bloomed pink. i guess it will grow on me, but i was really 
wanting the _blue_. (pink is unusual in fall...and oddly wonderful with 
reds and oranges. ok, ok. not a combo for everybody.)

as for hardiness, i know that the plants in the local area have taken 17F 
for a week (daytime high), but they were probably damaged by it. mine is 
in a pretty sheltered but sunny spot and quite happy. (it gets about 
10-12 hours sun per day.) nc weather can be quite unpredictable. check 
with the ncsu arboretum. see what they have growing there and if they 
have a recommendation for your area. and just stop by to stop by...it's a 
way cool place.

good gardening!

---

From: helen ruth etters <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 9 Mar 1995 15:07:47 -0500

On Thu, 9 Mar 1995, Toni Haun wrote:

> check 

I've never been to the NCSU arboretum.  It's about a two-hour drive to
Raleigh from here.  Can someone who has been tell me what to expect if
I make the drive?  Do they have someone to answer questions?  Can I
buy or only see?  Thanks.

		   ...to go or not to go...
 @  |  @  |  @                                           @  |  @  |  @  |  @
\|/\|/\|/\|/\|/             Helen Etters                \|/\|/\|/\|/\|/\|/\|/
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^