vitex- the chastity plant

vitex agnus castus by Jonathan Radford

the Mediterranean chastity plant

Mediterranean plants have always been attributed with having medicinal, healing properties, from the skin conditioning oil of the olive tree, the sedative effect of the chamomile plant to the flatulence reducing fennel. However, few of us have heard of a Mediterranean plant that can reduce a male libido or for susttaining a period of chastity.

Curiously, Vitex agnus castus actually takes its common name The 'Chaste' (or chastity) plant directly from a number of compounds which have a similar structure to certain sexual hormones in the human body.

The ancient Greeks knew that Vitex agnus castus was an anaphrodisiac and, curiously, even Christian monks took the dried fruits of the plant to subdue 'desires of the flesh'. A powder derived from the dried fruits soon became known As 'Monks pepper' throughout Europe and in fact there are substances within the plant that subdue the actions of certain male hormones, named androgens which, in turn, causes a decrease in male libido.

Vitex has other properties and the plant has undergone a lot of research for its effect on pre-menstrual tension in women. A recent study of 178 women by the British medical association showed that 50% of the women tested showed major signs of improvement regarding PMT and many other pre-menstrual symptoms

For the garden designer in Italy however, the chaste plant offers a fantastic plant that is both easy to grow and aesthetically valid within the Italian garden context. Growing to a maximum height of around 3 to 5m, with leaves rather like hemp and displaying lilac-shaped blue or white flowers it is an easy to grow stunner that is not very common. With an annual prune in late winter/spring the plant can be maintained to a compact 1-1.50m and will produce a myriad of flowers from early summer to October.

The flowers of the Vitex will attract butterflies and bees but the flowers are particularly enjoyed by bumble bees. When planted in a mixed, informal hedge with buddleia, lilac and lavender the butterflies will gather in their hundreds. Plant in full sun, in poor soil on a sunny bank or against a wall and enjoy this easy Mediterranean plant in your Italian garden.

by ecologica