"What is that tree in front of the library with the purple flowers?"

One of the most frequently asked questions in the summer is "What is the name of the tree in front with the purple flowers?"

In front of the library building are Vitex agnus-castus, more commonly known as Texas Vitex. Other names include "Texas Lilac Vitex,” “Texas Lilac,” “Vitex,” “Hemp Tree,” “Sage Tree,” “Indian Spice,” or “Chaste Tree.”

Whatever you call it, it produced beautiful purple flowers in the summer that pollinators love.

For more information about Vitex, check out these sites:

Texas Vitex
Texas Superstar
Recommended Plants for North Texas.