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Lamiaceae
Monk's Pepper Flower
Vitex agnus-castus
Chastity, calm restraint, and monastic virtue.
- Family
- Lamiaceae
- Genus
- Vitex
- Native to
- Mediterranean, western Asia
- Bloom season
- Summer, Early Fall
- Type
- deciduous shrub or small tree
- Height
- 300–500 cm
- Sunlight
- full sun
- Soil
- well-drained; tolerates poor and alkaline soils
- Water
- low; drought-tolerant
- Hardiness
- 6–9
- Lifespan
- perennial; 20+ years
Did you know
- Medieval monks reportedly used the peppery berries to suppress desire, earning it the name 'chaste tree' or 'monk's pepper'.
- The species name 'agnus-castus' is a Latin-Greek hybrid meaning 'chaste lamb' — a double reference to purity.
- Modern herbal medicine uses vitex berry extract to treat PMS and hormonal imbalances, backed by several clinical studies.
- The palmate leaves look so similar to Cannabis that police have reportedly mistaken vitex plantings for marijuana grows.
- It blooms in late summer when few other shrubs flower, filling a critical gap in the garden calendar.
Color meanings
Lilac
virtue and temperance
Blue
calm composure
White
celibate purity