2024 Author: Gavin MacAdam | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 13:38
Sacred Vitex (lat. Vitex agnus-castus) - a tree-like representative of the genus Vitex (lat. Vitex) of the family Lamiaceae (lat. Lamiaceae). With its unpretentiousness to living conditions, the plant surprises with the rich chemical composition of all its parts and the flexibility of numerous branches. Since ancient times, a person drew attention to a powerful shrub, beautifully blooming and fragrant, and began to actively use it for his own purposes. Flexible branches are useful for weaving light furniture; leaves and fruits with a pungent spicy taste diversified the cuisine of many nations; and the richness of the chemical constituents of the aboveground parts of the plant began to be used for medicinal purposes. Moreover, the healing abilities of the plant are recognized by official medicine.
What's in your name
The Latin genus name "Vitex" is based on the verb "viere", meaning "to knit." Plants owe this name to their flexible branches, which fell to the liking of artisans who equip their life. In Russian, such a demand for the plant is reflected in the name "Ordinary Prutnyak".
The specific epithet “agnus-castus” literally translates as “pure lamb”. Religious motives are reflected in such plant names as: "Sacred Vitex", "Abraham's tree", "Pure tree", "Chaste". And the spicy taste of leaves and fruits, which was not shunned by God's servants, was reflected in the name "Monastic pepper".
Description
The power and perenniality of the shrub, growing to a height of four to eight meters, is supported by a taproot, which is assisted by numerous adventitious roots, scattering in different directions from the main root.
The tetrahedral brown branches of the shrub bear opposite compound leaves, holding onto them by means of long petioles. Fragrant leaves and stems are protected by thick hairs that muffle the green color of the leaves, so the shrub as a whole looks like a gray-felt creation of nature.
A complex large leaf unites from three to seven narrow-lanceolate leaves with sharp noses. Well-defined veins, fanning out from the central vein to the edges of the leaflet, make the leaf blade more expressive and picturesque.
The branches end in spike-shaped inflorescences formed by numerous fragrant flowers, located on the peduncle in small groups, between which there is a small interval. Small flowers have a full set of common components: a tubular calyx of accrete sepals and a pale blue or pale purple corolla, which is three times as long as the calyx. Gallant stamens peek out of the corolla, towering over its edge. At the very peak of flowering, a tree or shrub turns into a hazy purple cloud.
The fruit of Vitex sacred is a dry black spherical drupe, consisting of four nests with seeds.
Pantry of useful substances
Although all parts of the plant contain a long list of active substances, humans use the stems, leaves, flowers and fruits of the plant for their needs. From them, he extracts essential oil (leaves) and fatty oil (seeds), rich in different acids: palmitic, valerian, acetic, formic …
The leaves are rich in ascorbic acid, flavonoids, one of the glycosides, and the fruits contain a number of vitamins, coumarins, tannins, flavonoids.
Preparations from Vitex sacred help with sick spleen and liver, with malaria, help to raise the mood. But the main use of the plant is gynecology, male and female.
Usage
Vitex is a sacred very picturesque plant that is popular in garden design of territories where it is not threatened by frost. The shrub is settled by poor arid soils and a long period without rain. The plant's endurance and rapid growth make it a desirable representative of the plant world at their summer cottage.
A single lush bush in the middle of a green lawn looks especially impressive. The plant is also grown in large containers.
The leaves and seeds of Vitex sacred are used in cooking as a spicy seasoning for various dishes.
Picturesque household baskets and wicker furniture for relaxation are made from fragrant elastic branches.
Recommended:
Vitex
Vitex (lat.Vitex) - a genus of evergreen or deciduous shrubs or trees of the Lamiaceae family. Previously, the genus was reckoned to the Verbenov family. Another name is prutnyak. The Mediterranean is considered to be the birthplace of Vitex.
Ficus Sacred
Ficus sacred It is also known under the names of ficus religiosa, sacred figs, pipal and religious ficus, in Latin the name of this plant will sound like this: Ficus religiosa. The sacred ficus is one of the plants of the family called mulberry, in Latin this name will be like this:
Sacred Eonymus
Sacred eonymus (lat.Euonymus sacrosancta) –Decorative shrub; a representative of the genus Euonymus of the family Euonymus. Comes from North Korea, Japan, Northeast China and the Russian Far East. It is found in thickets of bushes, in meadows, in the valleys of streams and rivers, deciduous and mixed forests, as well as on elephants in the mountains.
