A Girl’s Best Friend-Vitex

Chaste tree, Vitex Agnus-castus, is a beautiful herb that thrives well in our Central Texas heat. It is my husband’s favorite herb, because after taking it for a couple of months a few years ago, I no longer had PMS symptoms such as irritability and emotional imbalance. Vitex works!!

Vitex is a small tree or large shrub that enjoys the sun and is quite drought tolerant. Chaste tree is a Mediterranean plant and is accustomed to hot weather and dry, rocky soils. It is often used as a landscaping plant (check the exit at Enfield, along Mopac), and of course as a prized medicinal plant. In summer, the purple blossoms soon turn to small round green berries that can be harvested and made in to a tea or tincture. I prefer the tincture, as the tea is quite bitter. Each summer I harvest fresh berries from my eleven Vitex trees. I make a couple of gallons of tincture to have on hand for all my female friends and customers. I have been called the Vitex Queen!!

Vitex is a well-known and well-documented female hormonal balancer. Vitex helps to regulate the menstrual cycle (especially where excessive bleeding or too frequent menstruation is occurring), relieves PMS symptoms and menopausal hot flashes. Vitex helps the body retain its natural balance after using the birth control pill. vitex berries

Vitex can also assist in the treatment fibroids, inflammation of the womb lining and will enhance the flow of mother’s milk. Vitex also works as an herb that promotes fertility. I have a couple of customers who became pregnant soon after using Vitex. It’s an amazing plant, both beautiful and having great medicinal value.

The common names of Vitex, Chaste tree or Monk’s pepper, are derived from its use years ago in Europe. It was thought to be an anaphrodisiac and was used to suppress the libido of temple priestesses. The flowers were strewn on the ground at the entrances to monasteries and convents to assist the incoming novices. To the contrary, some herbalists say it is a libido enhancer; some say Vitex will support the desires of the user. You be the judge. Some Monks did use the dried berries as a delicious peppery spice. I have some in my cupboard and enjoy its taste with several culinary delights.

Take time to get aquainted with this plant. You can easily plant a small tree in the sun. Nurture it at first and then just about let it be. Vitex loves our summer heat and will thrive for years.

EZ HERBS & the Austin School of Herbal Studies Sharing the wisdom of the plants

EZ HERBS & the Austin School of Herbal Studies
Sharing the wisdom of the plants