Vitex agnus-castus L.

• Authority

  Gleason, Henry A. & Cronquist, Arthur J. 1991. Manual of vascular plants of northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. lxxv + 910 pp.

• Family

  Verbenaceae

• Scientific Name

  Vitex agnus-castus L.

• Description

  Species Description - Aromatic shrub or low tree to 5 m, with densely short-hairy twigs; lvs (3)5–9-foliolate; lfls narrowly elliptic, long-pointed at both ends, the central one 4.5–11.5 × 1–2 cm, the others smaller, short-hairy to tomentose at least beneath; cymules small, sessile or subsessile, aggregated into a long terminal mixed panicle; cal 2–2.5 mm; cor lavender or lilac, the tube 6–7 mm, white-puberulent above the cal, the limb 5–13 mm wide; fr subglobose, 3 mm. Native to Eurasia, often escaped from cult. in s. U.S., n. to Md. Apr.–Oct.

• Common Names

  chaste tree