The Vitex Tree - Wouldn't You Like to be a Pepper Too?

These are beautiful trees: vitex, Vitex Agnus-Castus (not cactus - no relation) and commonly - chaste tree. And, if you don't get excited about their wonderful flowers, at least you will appreciate their sculpted foliage and interesting branch structure.

I have pruned a few of these, mostly during the spring. They are unique in a way in regard to how they branch upward and outward, in the right locale - most of mine have been.

I have read and heard vitex are invasive via the fruit, therefore, the seeds they produce. But, I am not certain what conditions promote this. I have pruned several vitex and haven't seen any number of seedlings worth mentioning, or any. They will put out suckers and water sprouts if stressed, particularly if pruned hard, but that's a totally different issue and easy to address.

Last November I was pruning two vitex for a customer who has a wonderful selection of plants, beds and vignettes on his property.  It is a continual plat of plant opportunities.

The weather was cloudy and warm. I rarely wear a hat and when I do it is to keep sweat off my brow, occasionally block the sun or if I am doing overhead work.

While pruning these vitex, I did not. But, they had not been addressed since early last fall. They had plenty of fruit, seeds of four, still waiting to fall. And, some of the pruning was quite aggressive.

These fruits/seeds rained down upon my head when I was making lower cuts. Eventually, I put on a ball cap, but I didn't completely rid my hair of the prior downfall before doing so.

This wasn't one of those sweaty, messy days so I didn't change clothes and remained somewhat casual for dinner with some friends. At some point I slightly adjusted my ball cap and something hit the table which didn't exactly sound like a pepper corn, but not far off.

Everyone noticed this and I pulled a Yule Gibbons and took hold of this morsel and had a taste. Gross, huh? It was peppery, but mild and pleasant. The vitex fruit is used as a pepper, by some.

I love pepper, the spice, and have tasted many and used as many when cooking. I also enjoy all the other herb peppers such as jalapeno, habanero, etc.

The vitex is a beautiful tree for most any landscape and I don't know that you may choose one for its peppery fruit, but hey, why not?