Vitex Agnus-Castus - Chaste Tree

[RobertB]

So I was running around my favorite local nursery last weekend and I saw this chaste tree with a very nice bonsai-ish trunk. After looking at it I noticed that the trunk was just about completely rotten. Being the thrifty person I am, I had to have it, if I could get it for a good deal. It had a 80$ price tag on it.

First I scratched the bark and popped some random twigs and saw green. Check.



Ended up getting the tree for 15$. Figured I would take a chance. I had heard that they are very vigorous and my wife loves the blooms.

Once I got it home, I decided I should go ahead and repot as the nursery had let moss grow all up the trunk. Possible that and being EXTREMELY ROOT BOUND probably led to its current situation.

I grabbed one of my boxes, made from reclaimed shipping crates (thrifty). Some soil composed of pine bark, builders gravel, DE and Turface (been using turface now for a few years and haven't had any problems with unless planted in 100% turface). Also based on the recent DE discussions, I dont want to skip watering one day and have the DE suck all the water out of the roots. Hoping that half DE / half turface could give me a buffer.

Here it is once home.


It was very difficult finding the live vein. It all king of looked the same except for the parts that were obviously VERY DEAD. It took me about an hr to remove the roots enough to get into the prepared flat. All the roots on one side of the trunk were rotten. There was some fine roots extending out of a small portion of what I am thinking is the front now that I wrapped sphagnum around and pinned in place with some drywall joint netting, holding the sphagnum in place.

Here is some pics of it being potted.


Need to get a final pic of it potted up.

I will keep the thread updated once it buds out, if it does Fingers crossed on this one.

 

[milehigh_7]

You should be fine! I repot these with a sawzall and normally remove 75-80% of the roots. The main thing to watch out for at this point is that it does not get too much water. As you noticed, they will rot if they stay wet and do not like moss and such things staying on the trunk. You might even flake off the loose bark once it dries out so that you don't have anything that will hold water on the trunk. Keep us posted and let me know if you have questions.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Nice find, keep us posted

 

[JoeR]

Nicceee! You’re gonna have a lot of fun with this one, they grow fast after roughy work like this.

 

[JoeH]

They are very hardy and take a lot of abuse. I have two that Hurricane Irma removed for me and I potted them up. Both are doing great considering all the cutting I did to get them in pots and out of the ground.

 

[RobertB]

Finally got some budding i noticed this weekend.

 

[RobertB]

It is now pushing all over tree except for the second branch from the bottom which I really hope lives. There a new bud growing at base so at least I have a chance to rebuild if need be.

They have slowed down some. I think it's because of the sever root prune I did on almost all my trees. The pushed out and have slowed.

 

[RobertB]

A pic of some buds pushing. They have slowed with this cold weather.

 

[RobertB]

Poor tree had just started to grow and the trunk started rooting pretty bad in the dead section. I tried removing some of the deadwood without compromising the whole trunk. I think it was too much movement and all the growth folded over and looks likes its wilting. Probably the end of this great thread.. . O well. next time.