This is the first year I've seen these .. I've seen them in Garden Centers in Houston..
Does anyone have experience with these in 8b-9a? DG Plant Info says Hardy in 10, but I'm wondering if anyone has had one thru the winter..Do they freeze down and reemerge or do they just die..? We're in New Caney, a little north of Kingwood..
Vitex Trifolia ..Question for Zone 8b-9a people
Don't know about the 'trifolia'--have to admit I had to look it up in the PlantFiles --but the regular Vitex is easy to grow--apparently so easy to grow that its on the invasive list for Texas. Grows good here for me and hasn't been an invasive problem in my yard but the seeds could be transported by birds or wind; and I have heard it suckers or sends runners. I need to research that some time and see if it is a plant I want to grow or not (and I probably will decide not--because it is considered not only exotic but invasive)...another thing to add to the list of what to do when "I get the time".
This message was edited Aug 13, 2006 9:35 AM
I too only hve info on the regular vitex. There is a huge one in my yard that was here when we bought three years ago. It has to be more than 15 years old. It's very large at about 16 feet tall and about 10 wide. The owners before us were not gardeners and it's had a butcher pruning job done to it, as has every three and shrub in the yard. I'm still working on what I think can be saved and have pulled out everything else. I saw the trifolia at Lowe's and Cornelius this year, but didn't get one as I wasn't sure of how long the bloom season lasted. I have 3 of the regular vitex and love them.
I have both the pink and blue Vitex and I agree they are easy..I was surprised to see them on the Invasive Plant List ..Before I knew they were on "The List" I would throw seeds all over this yard and I've never gotten a single seedling..ever.. Nor have I ever seen a Vitex sucker..
But it must be giving problems somewhere in TX.
I was hoping maybe trifolia would be a replacement for the other vitex, ( if it dies every winter above Zone 10 it can't be real invasive I wouldn't think)..The Bee's and other insects love them..
Mine has never died over winter. Does yours die to the ground and resprout from roots? I didn't know it was on the invasive plant list either, but it is listed in the A&M "Texas Superstars" website as a tough, carefree plant for Texas. They recommend cutting it to the ground each winter, but I've never done that either.
Oh, and where did you find a pink one? I'd love to have it in pink, but have never heard that it came in any other color that the bluish purple.
This message was edited Aug 13, 2006 12:55 PM
the trifloria is supposed to be an evergreen vitex, but I don't know if it would survive our winters. butterflybyrob posted one for me on this thread I started a while back.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/620630/
I love vitex. I think they are beautiful and smell so pretty.
Yeah..it's a bit confusing to have them on the Super Star List as well as the Invasive Species List..
I never cut mine down, trim or do anything else to them except deadhead..
They defoliaate in winter but don't frreze down..
I believe I found the pink one several years ago at Houston Plants and Garden ( I think it's called) on I -45...Apprx Airtex exit or close.. The nursery that has all the 80 percent off signs as Fall approaches..
I'd be happy to send you pink seeds but as I said they never sprout for me and who knows if they come true from seed..
ms-merae,
Thanks for the Hyperlink,
Butterflybob lives fairly close to my city..Maybe I'll D mail and see how his does..We're only probably 20 miles apart..
you are most certainly welcome princessnonie.
ya'll are going to think I am a hyperlink fool, but oh-well.
I also had problems getting them to go from seed. I posted this thread in the propogation forum and got a good answer on how to start them from seed. Here it is if you would like to read it.
http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/630007/
I absolutely love my white and purple vitex trees....in fact, I was deadheading my large purple one this morning, and thinking about trying my hand at germinating some from seeds. Thanks for the link ms_merae. I think I'll give it a try.. :)
Mine make it just fine during the winter...never freezing to the ground...just losing all of their leaves.
Here is one of my blooms being sampled by a sulphur butterfly.. :)
This message was edited Aug 16, 2006 3:52 PM
I found some information on the Vitex Trifolia, Trifolia being "new" at least to me.. Here it is. Monrovia Nursery says it's hardy in Zone 9..Maybe mine will make it..
At any rate it is very pretty and the foliage is quite different than the Chaste Tree's we have been talking about..a nice addition if they work in this Zone..
http://www.monrovia.com/PlantInf.nsf/08510e01e61cc962882571a9005a9153/6c6b57015bf8134188256bf90058b73a!OpenDocument&Highlight=0,vitex%20,trifoliaone.Maybe
This message was edited Aug 17, 2006 11:56 AM
Hmm...very pretty, princess....It looks more like a shrub then a regular tree that I see around here..
Melanie