Vitex agnus-castus ‘Shoal Creek’
SIZE: 15’ tall by 15’ wide
HARDINESS: zones 6 to 9 (grown as a perennial in zone 5)
LIGHT: full sun
SHAPE: shrub or small, multi-stemmed tree, dense round canopy
RATE: vigorous growth
FLOWERS: numerous, striking blue-violet flowers in loose panicles up to 12” long, fragrant, long bloom period in mid to late summer
OTHER FEATURES:
Young stems have showy purple then reddish-brown color (mature branches are pale grey)
Strong resistance to leaf spot disease
Very few insect pests
Attractive to butterflies
Aromatic foliage
Requires only occasional watering after establishment
POSSIBLE LANDSCAPE USES:
May be pruned into a small tree or grown as a large shrub
Patio tree
Single specimen tree in the lawn
Grouping of trees spaced throughout a large perennial bed
Focal point in a very large shrub border
Butterfly garden
“Cottage” garden
See Tips for Designing your home landscape.
PRUNING:
Prune in the late winter or early spring.
To prune into a (multi-stemmed) tree, select between one and five primary vertical stems to be saved. Prune out all the others at ground level. Then prune all side branches from the ground level up to the desired height (approximately 6’ for a large plant).
Learn more about Basic Pruning Principles.
COMPANION PLANTS:
For a butterfly garden: common milkweed, swamp milkweed, purple coneflower, liatris, clethra (summersweet), joe-pye weed, wild strawberry, blueberry
OTHER CONSIDERATIONS:
Requires well-drained soil. Water regularly during the first year to establish a healthy root system.