Home |
Search |
Today's Posts |
#1
|
|||
|
|||
Texas Lilac "vitex" tree?
Hello group..
Have been trying to find a nice tree for my folks yard, something easy to take care of and might cast some shade on their house. We were at the Depot the other day and they had the Texas Lilac Vitex on sale so we bought one and planted it. It's got the prettiest, and most fragrent purple blossoms on it..Anyone know how fast they grow? We saw one in Austin the other day and it was huge..Like 30 feet tall..So that will be good..I have read on line about them but was hoping someone here may have some personal experience with them... Thanks! John |
#2
|
|||
|
|||
John wrote:
Hello group.. Have been trying to find a nice tree for my folks yard, something easy to take care of and might cast some shade on their house. We were at the Depot the other day and they had the Texas Lilac Vitex on sale so we bought one and planted it. It's got the prettiest, and most fragrent purple blossoms on it..Anyone know how fast they grow? We saw one in Austin the other day and it was huge..Like 30 feet tall..So that will be good..I have read on line about them but was hoping someone here may have some personal experience with them... Thanks! John I have a number of these in my yard. I'd say they grow at a moderate speed. I planted a number of 1gal plants about 10 years ago and they are now 10-12' tall, very bushy. I have noticed that they grow considerably faster with constant watering, like drip irrigation. When the watering stops, they don't seem to be affected except growing slower. They're easy to start from cuttings, too. Gary Brady |
#3
|
|||
|
|||
This is generally a very old specimen. My vitex is 8 years old and it
is about 10 feet tall, but 20 feet wide. I do what is called "limb it up" to give it a more tree-like shape. However, if you don't do this, it will be more a huge bush than tree. I am sorry to say it is not a good shade tree. On Mon, 8 Aug 2005 12:25:54 -0500, "John" wrote: Hello group.. Have been trying to find a nice tree for my folks yard, something easy to take care of and might cast some shade on their house. We were at the Depot the other day and they had the Texas Lilac Vitex on sale so we bought one and planted it. It's got the prettiest, and most fragrent purple blossoms on it..Anyone know how fast they grow? We saw one in Austin the other day and it was huge..Like 30 feet tall..So that will be good..I have read on line about them but was hoping someone here may have some personal experience with them... Thanks! John |
#4
|
|||
|
|||
Bourne Identity wrote:
This is generally a very old specimen. My vitex is 8 years old and it is about 10 feet tall, but 20 feet wide. I do what is called "limb it up" to give it a more tree-like shape. However, if you don't do this, it will be more a huge bush than tree. I am sorry to say it is not a good shade tree. Mine is about the same age and size. I've started trimming the ends of branches, which become long and pendulous, to keep it in bounds, and need to remove some watersprouts. They're not tall enough for shade, and anyway when it gets really hot in late summer and fall, the leaves start dropping, even if you water a lot. But in spring, mine is BEAUTIFUL and bright green, and when it blooms in a flush in spring and then sporadically through the summer, hummingbirds and bees LOVE it, and so do I! My son and husband with bad allergies, however, hate it and won't mow near it because it makes them itch so bad. Cindy |
#5
|
|||
|
|||
Cindy wrote:
Mine is about the same age and size. I've started trimming the ends of branches, which become long and pendulous, to keep it in bounds, and need to remove some watersprouts. They're not tall enough for shade, and anyway when it gets really hot in late summer and fall, the leaves start dropping, even if you water a lot. But in spring, mine is BEAUTIFUL and bright green, and when it blooms in a flush in spring and then sporadically through the summer, hummingbirds and bees LOVE it, and so do I! My son and husband with bad allergies, however, hate it and won't mow near it because it makes them itch so bad. Cindy VItex is also deer proof. Crush a leaf and smell it and you'll see why. Gary Brady |
#6
|
|||
|
|||
Thanks everyone,
I saw one in a yard the other day that was probably over 20 feet tall..Was huge! I found a site on the net which pictured a couple pretty big too but figured it may end up being a nice big bush..We plan to put some other trees out there too and good to hear they are deer proof..That is important as they are out in the Bastrop pines..Lots of deer out there! :-) Thanks! John "Gary Brady" wrote in message ink.net... Cindy wrote: Mine is about the same age and size. I've started trimming the ends of branches, which become long and pendulous, to keep it in bounds, and need to remove some watersprouts. They're not tall enough for shade, and anyway when it gets really hot in late summer and fall, the leaves start dropping, even if you water a lot. But in spring, mine is BEAUTIFUL and bright green, and when it blooms in a flush in spring and then sporadically through the summer, hummingbirds and bees LOVE it, and so do I! My son and husband with bad allergies, however, hate it and won't mow near it because it makes them itch so bad. Cindy VItex is also deer proof. Crush a leaf and smell it and you'll see why. Gary Brady |
#7
|
|||
|
|||
John wrote:
Thanks everyone, I saw one in a yard the other day that was probably over 20 feet tall..Was huge! I found a site on the net which pictured a couple pretty big too but figured it may end up being a nice big bush..We plan to put some other trees out there too and good to hear they are deer proof..That is important as they are out in the Bastrop pines..Lots of deer out there! :-) Thanks! John I've also seen vitex in a local nursery here in Spring that have steel-blue flowers. Cindy |
Reply |
Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads | ||||
Thread | Forum | |||
Vitex agnus-castus - fragrant? | United Kingdom | |||
Vitex | United Kingdom | |||
Vitex Trees | Texas | |||
Chaste Tree (vitex agnus-castus) | Texas | |||
Vitex (was: Source for Viburnum rufidulum) | Gardening |