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Common Name:

General Information

Vitex cannabifolia is a deciduous shrub that can grow up to 3.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and source of materials..

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

Range

E. Asia - Western China.

Habitat

Hilly slopes and roadsides[]. Mixed thickets on mountain slopes and along roadsides at elevations of 100 - 1100 metres[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Deciduous Shrub
Height	3.00 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

We have very little information on this species and do not know if it will be hardy in Britain, though judging by its native range it is likely to succeed outdoors at least in the milder areas of the country. It is seen as no more than a subspecies of Vitex negundo in some recent floras[]. The following notes are based on the general needs of the genus.
Prefers a light well-drained loamy soil in a warm sunny position sheltered from cold drying winds[, ]. Succeeds in dry soils. Intolerant of water-logging[].
Flowers are produced at the ends of the current year's growth[]. Any pruning is best carried out in the spring and should consist of cutting out dead wood and shortening last year's flowering branches[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The roots, leaves and fruits are antirheumatic, astringent, diaphoretic, diaphoretic, febrifuge and sedative[]. A decoction is used in the treatment of dysentery, enteritis, malaria, heat stroke and arthralgia[].

Other Uses

Used for fuel and charcoal[].

Propagation

Seed - sow early spring in a warm greenhouse. The seed does not need pre-treatment[]. Germination is usually free and quick[]. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in early summer of the following year.
Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 5 - 8cm with a heel, mid summer in a frame. Good percentage[].
Cuttings of mature wood of the current seasons growth, late autumn in a cold frame[].