Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus L.)

Chaste tree flower cluster

White-flowered chaste tree flowers

pharm	Fructus Agni-casti
Albanian	Konopice, Mrine e bardhe
Arabic	كف مريم, غار بري ازرق
	Kaf marim, Ghar bari azraq
Bulgarian	Витекс
	Viteks
Catalan	Agnocast, Alís, Aloc, Arbre de Sant Josep, Herba de la castedat, Pebre bord, Ximbla
Chinese	Mai ya
Chinese (Cantonese)	黃荊 [wòhng gīng], 聖潔莓 [sing git mùih]
	Sing git muih; Wohng ging (Vitex negundo)
Chinese (Mandarin)	荊瀝 [jīng li], 黃荊 [huáng jīng], 圣洁莓 [shèng jí méi], 貞節樹 [zhēn jié shù]
	Jing li, Sheng ji mei, Zhen jie shu; Huang jing zi, Huangjing (Vitex negundo)
Croatian	Konopljika
Czech	Drmek obecný, Mnišský pepř, Vitex jehněčí
Danish	Kyskhedstræ
Dutch	Kuisboom, Monnikenpeper
English	Hemptree, Agnus castus, Abraham's balm
Estonian	Harilik mungapipar
Finnish	Siveydenpuu
French	Arbre au poivre, Gattilier, Poivre des moines
German	Mönchspfeffer, Abrahamsstrauch, Keuschlamm
Greek	Λιγαγριά, Λυγαγριά
	Ligagria, Lygagria
Hebrew	שיח-אברהם מצוי
	Siah avraham mazui
Hungarian	Barátcserje, Szűzbariska, Szűzfa
Italian	Agnocasto
Japanese	イタリアニンジンボク, テイソウボク
	Itarianinjin-boku, Teisō-boku, Teiso-boku
Korean	이탈리아목형
	Italliamokhyeong, Italliamokhong
Maltese	Bżar tal-Patrijiet, Siġra tal-virgi, Tal-virgi
Polish	Niepokalanek pieprzowy
Portuguese	Flor da castidade, Árvore da castidade, Agno casto, Pimenteiro silvestre
Romanian	Lemnul lui Avram, Mielărea
Russian	Авраамово дерево, Витекс
	Avraamovo derevo, Viteks
Slovak	Vitex jahňací
Slovenian	Navadna konopljika
Swedish	Munkpeppar
Turkish	Ayıt, Hayıt

Blue and white flowers of chaste tree

Dried chaste tree fruits

Fruits.

Verbenaceae (vervain family).

Aromatic, but weak aroma; slightly pungent and bitter taste.

Chaste Tree Flower

The dried fruits contain only small amounts (0.5%) of essential oil, which is dominated by the monoterpene derivatives limonene, 1,8-cineol, bornyl acetate, α- and β-pinene and sabinene. The bitter-astringent taste is caused by flavonoids (castican, orientin and isovitexin) and iridoid glycosides (agnuside, aucubin).

Mediterranean.

Chaste tree carries several “sacred” names, which more or less directly refer to its reputation as an anaphrodisiac. In ancient Greece, the tree was called hagnos [ἁγνός] “chaste”, which apparently the early Christians confused with Latin agnus “lamb”, the Christian symbol of purity. Under the name agnus castus “chaste lamb”, the plants was often used among Christian monks as a help against the evils of the more fleshy desires, of which there were many.

Chaste tree (sterile plant)

Still today, there are many names in European languages alluding to this use of chaste tree (which, I keep hearing, is not so much in demand now). There are several names meaning “tree of chastity” (English chaste tree or Dutch kuisboom) or “monk's pepper” (French poivre des moines, Maltese bżar tal-Patrijiet, Estonian mungapipar). Another group of names refers to the Biblical patriarch Abraham: Russian Avraamovo derevo [Авраамово дерево] “Abraham's tree”, Hebrew siah avraham [שיח-אברהם] “Abraham's bush” and last but not least English Abraham's balm (see lemon balm about the word “balm”).

The genus name Vitex allegedly derived from Latin vitilis “made by plaiting”, because the flexible branches of the tree were used in the construction of plaited fences. Compare also Modern Greek lygagria [λυγαγριά], probably related to Old Greek lygizein [λυγίζειν] “bend” (see also garlic for further related words).

Nature One Health: Chaste Tree Floridata.com: Chaste Tree Herb Monographs: Chaste Tree (stevenfoster.com)