Vitex Agnus Castus (Chasteberry/Abraham's Balm/Lilac Chastetree/Monk's Pepper/Chaste Tree)

Chaste trees, scientifically known as Vitex agnus castus, are beautiful flowering trees that are exceptionally easy to grow. Vitex is a deciduous shrub that bears clusters of purple flowers in the summer. Much like a shrub and naturally multi-trunk, Vitex can be trained to become a small tree.

The leaves of the vitex are reminiscent of the marijuana plant, with five leaflets in a palm-shaped arrangement. The leaves have a fragrance similar to that of the herb sage. The purple flower clusters (called panicles) look like those of the butterfly bush. The black fruit contains four seeds that look like peppercorns and are sometimes used to flavor food.