Chaste Tree Removal Efforts Underway

Chaste Tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is a native of Eurasia, and was introduced in North America as an ornamental shrub.  Exotic “ornamental” plants often become problematic in natural areas, displacing native species and depriving them of light and nutrients.  V. agnus-castus was planted at Reflection Riding, but has since escaped cultivation and is now readily spreading by seed, dispersed mainly by birds.

In summer 2022 we started removal, timed to coincide with flowering and before seed set. Massive, multi-stemmed mother plants were cut with chainsaws and the stumps treated with a 50% glyphosate herbicide solution. Smaller sprouts in the surrounding area were treated with a foliar application of triclopyr herbicide.

Volunteers pulled and stacked during a weed wrangle, summer Native Landscape Apprentices cut and sprayed, and students from Bridge Chattanooga (and their leaders!) dragged and loaded the vile weed into our dump truck! The removal effort has been underway at least one day a week for the past month. 

Native alternatives include: American beautyberry (Callicarpa americana), fringetree (Chionanthus virginicus), and bottlebrush buckeye (Aesculus parviflora).  Any of these species would make a wonderful addition to your home landscaping and RRANC has them available for purchase in our Native Plant Nursery. Check out this video of our recent Weed Wrangle that shows our efforts in removing Chaste tree’s from our campus! 

This project was made possible by the National Environmental Education Foundation (NEEF) 2022 Restoration and Resilience Fund. Thank you to NEEF, Toyota Motor North America, IP, and the Hilton Effect Foundation for sponsoring this project.