Irish Daily Mirror

PLANT of the week

Vitex agnus-castus ‘Chaste tree’

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It’s taken a long hot summer to coax this lovely Mediterran­ean shrub to flower at last.

In ancient times it was considered an anaphrodis­iac – the opposite of an aphrodisia­c – hence its common name of the Chaste tree.

It’s not a widely planted shrub but for me its value lies in the lovely display of fragrant flowers which should last well into autumn (and its foliage is aromatic too).

Plant in full sun in well-drained soil and protect from cold drying winds.

I’ll prune back those flowering stems next spring.

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