Is it? I planted some a few years ago as an experiment. It's in a very sheltered spot, gets all the snow off the back porch in the winter as cover...hasn't done anything but grow though...doubles in size every year...

That's definitely a Vitex. Does it ever bloom for you?

no, it hasn't bloomed yet...when do they bloom?

Well, mine start blooming around April and keep going until frost. I deadhead them when the blooms get spent. I wasn't aware that it was grown so far north.

I wonder why I've never gotten blooms then? This will be it's 4th year....
maybe it isn't hot enough?

I don't know. They are very easy to grow down here. A carefree plant that blooms despite the heat and doesn't even seem to mind getting dry. Mine has been blooming non-stop during the most punishing drought we've had in a very long time.

They don't set their buds in the fall do they? like a lilac?
It better do something soon...Mom's been threatening to yank it out...wish I could help it along somehow so she could see why I fuss over it so much!

It blooms on new growth, actually.

that isn't the problem then...it pretty much dies right back every winter. maybe my growing season isn't long enough? (thinking out loud here)
Is it an evergreen down there or does it lose it's leaves in the winter? Maybe I need to build a plastic green house type thing to put over it in the spring to give it a longer season?
**shrug** it should bloom, dang it! I mean, the entire plant is full of new growth!!

It does lose its leaves in the winter. It then comes back and starts growing new growth, followed very quickly by flower buds. I wish you had better luck!

I guess that's why it isn't grown up here

Are there male and female plants maybe?

Not that I'm aware of.

I'm desperate here Dave...any ideas on what it's problem might be?
Maybe you could bring it up as a puzzle for your next Master gardeners meeting?

You're asking a Texan why a plant won't bloom in Canada. I would suggest posting this as a new thread in the Shrubs forum: http://garden.org/forums/view/...

I'll be watching for it.

well, it is a Texas plant

will do!

It is not a Texas native and is considered an invasive here. It was introduced from S. Europe and W. Asia.
http://www.texasinvasives.org/...

Lee Ann, I'm finding it curious that your Vitex isn't blooming. I started some from seed a few years ago, also as an experiment, to my surprise I had blooms the first year! I had 2 or 3 seeds germinate, and just planted the whole container as one plant. It's in a hot, sunny area that is dry in summer, and is quite exposed during winter. I wondered if I had jinxed my chances of winter survival by that placement, but it has survived 2 winters now. It does die back and is late to start growing- both years I thought it was dead, but thankfully left it alone and kept my fingers crossed. How much sun does yours receive? I'm curious if the sheltered spot you have for it could be shading it too much to bloom?

Our vitex just started blooming 2 weeks ago, and we have a very long growing season. I wonder if it's triggered by heat and sun?
Dry weather helps them, i think.
Mine is in a spot that only gets rainfall, and there's not much of that. It died back completely to the ground last winter, but most winters i have a foot or so of limbs left.

Mine blooms here in the UK and rather north of the middle. Despite having survived two of the coldest winters for decades iit is looking very healthy indeed. It will start to flower in late August/ early September here, at least it has the last 2 years.
Last years very early winter knocked it back while still flowering in November and I thought it would be a goner. It was lat getting going - mid May before we saw any green at all on it but now you wouldn't know it had had a problem.

HTH