Featured as Dwejra Tower’s Plant of the Month for July 2025, the Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus), known in Maltese as Siġra il-Virgi or Bżar il-Patrijiet, is a striking deciduous shrub or small tree that can grow up to four metres tall. With its hemispherical shape and aromatic, palmate leaves divided into 5 to 7 narrow lobes, this plant is both visually distinctive and ecologically valuable.

Flowering from summer through early autumn, the Chaste Tree produces clusters of small, sweetly scented blooms. These are typically bluish violet but can occasionally range from pink to white. Each flower measures around 8-10mm, and they are a magnet for pollinating insects, particularly honeybees. The plant’s small, dark grey fruits closely resemble peppercorns, giving rise to one of its local names, Bżar il-Patrijiet (Friar’s peppercorns). Traditionally, these fruits were believed to suppress sexual desire, contributing to the plant’s association with chastity.

In Malta, the Chaste Tree is typically found along watercourses in valleys, especially near coastal areas, and it grows on all three main islands. However, its presence in the wild has become increasingly rare.

Recognised for its ecological importance, the species is strictly protected under Maltese law (Schedule I of legal notice S.L. 549.123) and is also listed as threatened on the Red List (1989).

Historically, these trees were cut back to ground level to encourage the growth of slender, flexible shoots, which were then used in basket weaving; a practice that, while practical, contributed to the plant's decline.

Have you ever witnessed the Chaste Tree in the wild?