I bought this plant at an end of season sale last fall. It bloomed a little then but has really started putting out blooms now and it smells heavenly.
I like that,, i'm with Eileen, scratch and sniff computers would be a wonderful thing on for this forum,,, Now is that a bush or tree. I do really like that. The color is so pretty, with all the differnt shades.
It is also known as Mexican lavender, monk's pepper, lilac chaste tree, hemp tree, sage tree, or Indian spice. Not a true Lilac as they don't grow down here, but has become a popular Lilac replacement because it is similar in looks and fragrance. It can grow to be a 25 foot tree if trimmed for that, if left untrimmed to grow wild it will become a 25 foot tall and wide bush and if you want to keep it to a manageagble size around 6 feet tall and wide then you cut it down to within a few inches of the ground every winter. It is native to China and Indian but was introduced over here a couple of hundred years ago from records that have been found. And is common all over the southern US. The horticulturists at Texas A and M University designated it a 'Texas Super Star' plant in 2005 because it grows in all areas of Texas, in either acid or alkaline soil and loves the hot and dry weather.
I love the intense color Toni! Have you tried the lilac in the link below? This one will withstand the Texas weather and does not require a hard freeze to re-bloom. I've had no problems with it planted where it is only morning sun. Wayside is the only place I've been able to find this one. I grew it closer to Dallas and now south of Austin. http://www.waysidegardens.com/webapp/wc ... erCode=V3H
I haven't seen that one, thanks for the info. It's growing requirements make me leary of spending that much money for one, I found it listed on several other sites and they all say it needs normal, loamy, moist soil...none of which describes my soil. What soil did you grow it in near Dallas?
I lived in south Irving. The soil there was pretty sandy. I added soil and manure. I had three planted. One in direct sun and it did not survive that exposure...the other two where morning sun on the east side of the house. They bloomed the 3 years I was living there. Here in Buda, the builder had put in some decent soil in the front yard (the back is nearly all clay after 8" of topsoil). I do hand water frequently, but I think its worth it. They are a little costly to take a chance, so I do understand that!!
The soil types vary so much in the Dallas/Ft.Worth area, I am in Carrollton and the soil is all black clay. I had wondered about the possibility of a problem with full sun here since one of the sites mentioned it would do okay in full sun except in extreme areas and this is a pretty extreme area most summers. Besides all I can offer one is a location with full sun from about noon to close to sun set. Think I would do best to stick with the Vitex. It is being used in street and highway medians around here, those areas are all day sun and very little moisture other than whatever rain falls.
