Blue Puffball Chaste Shrub

Vitex agnus-castus ‘PIIVAC-II’ PP# 26775

Plant Details

USDA Plant Hardiness Zones: 6a-9b Find Your Zone

Plant Type: Deciduous Flowering Shrub

Height at Maturity: 3-4′

Width at Maturity: 3-4′

Spacing: 3′ for solid hedge; 6’+ for space between plants

Growth Habit / Form: Dense, Global

Growth Rate: Fast

Flower Color: Rich Purple Blue

Flower Size: 4-5″ spikes

Flowering Period: Late Spring, Summer, Early Fall

Flower Type: Single

Fragrant Flowers: Yes

Foliage Color: Gray-Green

Fragrant Foliage: Yes, aromatic

Sun Needs: Full Sun or Mostly Sun, Morning Sun with Dappled or Afternoon Shade, Morning Shade with Evening Sun

Water Needs: Average, very low when established

Soil Type: Clay (Amended), Loam, Sand, Silt

Soil Moisture / Drainage: Moist to somehwat dry, well-drained

Soil pH: 6.0 – 7.5 (Slighty Acidic to Slightly Alkaline)

Maintenance / Care: Very low when left in it’s natural form

Attracts: Butterflies, Hummingbirds, Pollinating Insects, Song Birds, Visual Attention

Resistances: Deer – more info, Disease, Heat, Insect, Wet Soils

Description

Is it a tree or a shrub? Based on its smaller stature to only 3 to 4 feet tall and equally as wide, we’re going to call ‘Blue Puffball’ a chaste “shrub.” That said, lower branches could be removed to form a very small tree would work as such in miniature gardens or pots and planters. Otherwise, in our larger gardens we planted a cluster of three and couldn’t be more happy with this selection. The shrub has a global shape with very thick fragrant foliage and sports abundant spikes of deep violet-blue flowers from late spring through summer and into early fall. The hummingbirds, butterflies and pollinating insects will thank you for planting this one!

Landscape & Garden Uses

Growing only 3 to 4 feet tall and equally as wide, the Blue Puffball Chaste Shrub is ideal for use as a specimen in small garden spaces and is a perfect size for pots and planters. In larger garden spaces it serves well in groupings or as a low flowering hedge. Looks especially nice around garden ponds and other bodies of water and in rock gardens. A fine addition to blue theme gardens, bird gardens and butterfly gardens!

Suggested Spacing: 3 feet apart for solid hedge; 6 feet or more apart for space between plants

Note: For our customers who live and garden north of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 6a, where this Vitex variety is not reliably winter hardy, you’ll be happy to know it can be grown in containers that can be brought indoors during winter and placed back outside when temperatures warm up in spring.

Growing Preferences

The Blue Puffball Chaste Shrub will grow in most any average soil, including clay soils. It prefers a moist but well-drained soil however will tolerate temporary wet conditions. As with so many other ornamental shrubs and trees, constantly wet soil can be problematic. Good drought tolerance when established.

Note: The chaste tree is cold hardy in USDA Zones 6a-9b. In USDA Zone 6 young plants might die back to the ground during an unusually cold winter. If so, cut the plant back to the ground like you would a butterfly bush and it will quickly regrow in spring and flower all summer long.

Helpful Articles

Click on a link below to find helpful advice from our experts on how to plant and care for Vitex.

How To Plant A Chaste Tree

How To Fertilize, Prune & Water A Chaste Tree

Plant Long & Prosper!

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Healthy, well boxed and protected, very impressed with this company and it’s products. Can’t wait until it leafs out!