I know, I'm pushing the zone barrier a bit, but it's a happy healthy Vitex...why won't it bloom for me here in Canada? (zone 5)
Maybe I should just be happy it grows...but if I can't get it to bloom soon Mom is threatening to yank it out...it's been taking up space for 4 years...

Any ideas/suggestions?

I'm looking forward to also learning the answer to your question.

I do observe that your plant looks a lot leggier than mine, and the leaves on mine are a lot darker green in color. Vitex wants full sun - is this one getting enough sun?

He gets sun from sun-up until roughly 2pm...

That may be the problem. Mine gets absolute solid 100 degree sun from daybreak until nightfall, and loves it.

well...that might be a problem...if I move him out into full all day type sun I won't be able to protect him in the winter...right now he's tucked in where 2 outside walls form a nice, sheltered nook...facing south.

Vitex needs full sun. But I suspect your problem is you're just in too cold an area. It doesn't bloom for me either. I'm in zone 6. I think they're reliably hardy to about zone 7. I know you said it's in a protected area, but that still might not take care of it. We get beautiful foliage here, just no flowers. Same with a lot of other marginally hardy shrubs.

Have you seen vitex blooming anywhere else in your area? I know you're about the same climate as we are.

I've never actually seen a Vitex anywhere around here...or in a garden centre. The only reason I have one is because a Southern friend gifted me with some seeds so I could experiment.

Maybe next Spring I'll give it a boost with a little greenhouse hat..but you could very well be right, just too cold up here no matter what and we just can't fool it.

If you do, Lee Ann, please let me know how it works out.

Lee Ann, I started a vitex from seed and it bloomed the first year. It dies back quite a bit in winter and is late to sprout, but has continued to bloom in late summer. Mine is in full blazing sun, in a kinda dry bed. I'm wondering if yours need more sun to bloom?

I've got buds!!!!

I guess it heard me threaten it

Yayyyyy!! I just noticed this morning that mine has started blooming too.

How funny.

Wonderful, Lee Anne. Shoots all those theories down. Maybe mine will bloom. I'll be checking it first thing in the AM.