Vitex agnus-castus, or "chaste tree," is a shrub native to the Mediterranean and Asia. The fruit has been historically used for reducing sexual desire. Vitex agnus-castus fruit and seed contain...

Understanding the Context

Deciduous large shrub or small tree with distinctive palmately compound leaves. Profuse spikes of lavender flowers, blooming heavily in the early summer, and then sporadically throughout the summer and fall. Vitex is heat, drought and pest tolerant. Chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) blooms in the summer with cooling blue or white flowers.

Key Insights

It is a fast-growing single-trunk tree or multi-stem shrub. Common Names: chasteberry, chaste tree, gattilier, monk's pepper, vitex. Latin Names: Vitex agnus-castus. The chasteberry plant, also called chaste tree or shrub, is native to the Mediterranean and Central Asia regions. Extracts of chasteberry may be prepared from the herb’s leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds.

Final Thoughts

What is vitex? Vitex is technically the name for the largest genus in the family Verbenaceae, which comprises 250 species distributed all over the world. The vitex species are deciduous shrubs. Vitex is a genus of flowering plants in the family Lamiaceae containing about 210 species. Vitex (chasteberry) is a popular herbal remedy, but science may not support all of its benefits. Here are the science-backed benefits — as well as some myths — associated with Vitex...

What it is: Also called vitex, chasteberry is a medicinal plant used for centuries to support female reproductive health. It’s often taken as a supplement to help with hormone-related issues.