Flower profile
Lilac chaste tree
Vitex agnus-castus
Lilac chaste tree is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. In Texas it's most often seen in bloom in April–November.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Texas
Quick look
Vitex agnus-castus is a plant native of the Mediterranean region. It is one of the few temperate-zone species of Vitex, which is on the whole a genus of tropical and subtropical flowering plants. Vitex is a cross-pollinating plant, but its self-pollination has been recorded.
- It belongs to the Lamiaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 20 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to Texas. NatureServe
- In Texas, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in April–November. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 7,067 research-grade sightings of it in Texas, ranking #91 among the 109 flowers on our Texas list. iNaturalist
Lilac chaste tree gift ideas
Handmade lilac chaste tree gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Lilac chaste tree art print
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Lilac chaste tree greeting card
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Lilac chaste tree mug
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Lilac chaste tree earrings
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Lilac chaste tree embroidery pattern
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Lilac chaste tree sticker
When does it bloom?
In Texas, most flowering sightings come in April–November.
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- Texas
- Not listed Not on Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Texas. 31 TAC 69.8
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no edibility or poison notes on its page), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people. NC State Extension
It isn't on the ASPCA plant list, and NC State Extension doesn't flag it for pets.
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records lilac chaste tree in 20 states plus Washington, D.C.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia; District of Columbia.
Texas counties with USDA records: Bastrop, Brazos, Brown, Burnet, Erath, Llano, McLennan, Reeves, Robertson, Travis.
More Texas flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile VIAG.
- iNaturalist, Vitex agnus-castus: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Vitex agnus-castus (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Texas: Texas endangered and threatened plants (31 Tex. Admin. Code § 69.8), as listed by Texas Parks and Wildlife.
- Texas: Texas noxious and invasive plant list (4 Tex. Admin. Code § 19.300(a)).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Vitex agnus-castus (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension.
- Photo: Michelle W. （鍾偉瑋） via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.