Vitex (Chaste Tree)
SCIENTIFIC NAME
Vitex agnus-castus
BIOTANICAL FAMILY
Lamiaceae; Mint family
PLANT PART
Berries (also known as the seeds, harvested early in the fall)
PREPARATIONS
Infusion, tincture, or syrup
THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS
Hormone balancer, helps with menstrual disorders and PMS, infertility, endometriosis, menopause; galactagogue (breast milk production increase), carminative, and diaphoretic
EMOTIONAL/ENERGETIC QUALITIES
Warming and drying
ETNOBOTANY LORE AND ANCIENT PRACTICES
Beautiful shrub (that can grow as tall as a tree) with purple flowers that readily attracts a pageant of butterflies and bees into the landscape. The berries are an important medicine for balancing hormones and assuaging many female reproductive issues, including infertility, menstrual cramps, amenorrhea, menopause, and fibrocystic breast disease. Ancient physicians like Hippocrates, Pliny, and Dioscorides documented Vitex's properties for women's health. In Roman and Greek times, the flowers and leaves were considered an aid to maintain chastity and monks during medieval times used to drink Vitex tea or eat the berries as food spice to tame sexual desires- hence the nickname "monk's pepper."
SAFETY
Not to be taken during pregnancy or if taking hormonal birth control unless under the care of a medical doctor
DISCLAIMER: The information provided above is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease; these statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. Please consult a licensed healthcare specialist for specific medical advice.