Chasteberry, also known as Vitex agnus-castus, is the fruit of the chaste tree, a member of the mint family. It is native to central Asia and southern parts of Europe, but is now also found in places with temperate and subtropical climate worldwide.
The plant has an interesting history. During the ancient times, people believed that it helped promote chastity, hence its name. The Greek physician Dioscorides prescribed it to wives of soldiers to control their sexual urges while their husbands went out to battle. Athenian maidens, according to Pliny the Elder, would sleep with the plantâs leaves under their bed during the festival of Thesmophoria. This is believed to help preserve their chastity.2
In the Middle Ages, monks used chasteberry to suppress their sexual desire,3 which is why itâs also called monkâs pepper. âPepperâ refers not just to the spicy flavor of the fruits but their appearance as well, which is similar to peppercorns.4
Today, chaste tree is grown both for its medicinal uses and as an ornamental plant. It is woody, and can grow 15 to 20 feet tall and 10 to 15 feet wide. The leaves consist of 5 to 7 lance-shaped leaflets with serrated edges. On the upper surface, the leaves are dark green, but grayish on the bottom. They are arranged oppositely on the branches.
Flowers of the chaste tree are showy, and can be purple, white, pink or blue colored. They are arranged in elongated clusters, and bloom during late spring to early autumn
