Easy-growing, good-smelling vitex doesn't require pruning

Dear Roger: My mom has had vitex in her yard since I can remember. I always liked the fragrance of the leaves and flowers.

As a child, I admired the way the butterflies lit on the flowers to suck the nectar.

My mom trimmed up the trunks to about 3 feet, and I thought this was ugly. I recently bought a vitex called ‘Shoal Creek.’ I have three questions about the plant.

• Is this variety with the fancy name any better than the one in Mom’s yard?

• Do you have any growing tips?

• Is there any reason to trim up the limbs? — Jenna Page, Fayetteville

Dear Jenna: ’Shoal Creek’ has especially long racemes of clear lavender flowers. It is vigorous and has an especially long bloom season. It is one of the better selections of Vitex agnus-castus. There are only two that I am aware of. The other is ‘Colonial Blue.’

I haven’t seen your mother’s unnamed selection, but it may be better or worse in some ways than the one you have. Selecting plants depends mostly on the taste of the person doing the selection.

Vitex is very easy to grow. It likes full sun. It doesn’t mind intense heat. It easily survives dry spells. It needs little or no fertilizer and water, though it is best to apply a very little bit of fertilizer in spring and to water in long dry spells for best performance.

'Shoal Creek’ grows especially large. It will reach 12-15 feet in a few years. Make sure you allow enough room for it to avoid touching nearby trees. The vase shape will allow you plenty of room to grow annuals or perennials under it. Late-blooming daylilies will bloom about the same time. Yellow and orange colors look especially good beneath it. Or you could plant red- and white-flowered annuals beneath for a patriotic color scheme.

Vitex does not require any pruning. Some people prune very old plants to expose the artfully craggy trunks. People who live in northern climates where it is winter damaged often cut it to the ground each spring. It resprouts and blooms on new wood.

The excellent aroma of vitex is to be expected. It is a member of the mint family.

Send your questions and comments to Roger at orders@mercergarden.com or call 910-424-4756. You may write to Roger at 6215 Maude St., Fayetteville, N.C. 28306.