
Vitex agnus-castus Delta Blues™ (chastetree)
The finer leaf texture and more controlled size (it's less leggy than the species, but is still not puny at 8-10' tall) make Delta Blues chastetree an attractive big shrub, but when it flowers, goodness!
It's loaded with blue flower cones for a long time during some of the toughest months of the year - the blahs of late summer (though I'm sorry, I can't commit to whether the flowers are blue or lavender - it shifts on me).
Flowering starts during the oppressive hum-drum of late summer time and last through the pick-me-up of early fall (September in Zone 8a).
Same goes for committing to leaf color - is it light green or light gray-green (won't you let us know in a review?)?
Maybe these hard to pin down traits make it so very interesting in the shrub border - it changes by time of day, like the forest outside my office window.
Delta Blues chastetree is a First Editions® plant developed in Georgia; this one by Matt Dirr.
A related type is Vitex Flip Side.
- Vitex agnus-castus Delta Blues is a mid to back of the border pollinator plant with blue flowers and fine leaf texture - can you name another shrub with blue flowers and fine texture to fill the back or your border?
- the fine leaf texture contrasts nicely with the broad leaf texture of other shrubs
- coupled with that fine texture, the light green (maybe slight gray-green color) leaf color gives leaf variety to the plant pallet
- long flowering period: summer/late summer into early fall
- climate challenges: drought tolerant once established
- fragrant flowers
- fragrant leaves
- pollinator plant
- deer resistant
- drought tolerant
- heat tolerant
- salt tolerant
- leaf texture
- interesting for designers
- Spring: light green
- Summer: light green
Yes it's root hardy, but the branches may not be hardy. It will likely behave more like a perennial that dies to the ground and grows back 3-4' during the summer.