It's all about ...
plants

Lakeshore Garden Centres Plant Finder
 
annual

Variegated Arabian Lilac

Vitex trifolia var. variegata

Add To My Plant List

Variegated Arabian Lilac (Vitex trifolia var. variegata) at Lakeshore Garden Centres

Variegated Arabian Lilac foliage

Variegated Arabian Lilac foliage

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Variegated Arabian Lilac (Vitex trifolia var. variegata) at Lakeshore Garden Centres

Variegated Arabian Lilac

Variegated Arabian Lilac

(Photo courtesy of NetPS Plant Finder)

Height:  12 feet

Spread:  8 feet

Sunlight:  full sun  partial shade 

Hardiness Zone:  (annual)

Other Names:  Trifoliate Chastetree, Simpleleaf Chastetree

Description:

A large shrub featuring attractive, aromatic green foliage dramatically variegated with white; lavender flowers produced most abundantly in mid-summer, followed by black berries; a great tall hedge or screen, or prune as a small tree

Ornamental Features

Variegated Arabian Lilac has panicles of fragrant lavender flowers rising above the foliage from early summer to early winter. Its attractive fragrant compound leaves remain forest green in colour with showy white variegation throughout the season. It produces black berries in late summer.

Landscape Attributes

Variegated Arabian Lilac is an open multi-stemmed annual with an upright spreading habit of growth. Its relatively fine texture sets it apart from other garden plants with less refined foliage.

This plant will require occasional maintenance and upkeep, and is best pruned in late winter once the threat of extreme cold has passed. It is a good choice for attracting bees and butterflies to your yard. It has no significant negative characteristics.

Variegated Arabian Lilac is recommended for the following landscape applications;

  • Mass Planting
  • Hedges/Screening
  • General Garden Use
  • Container Planting

Planting & Growing

Variegated Arabian Lilac will grow to be about 12 feet tall at maturity, with a spread of 8 feet. It has a low canopy with a typical clearance of 1 foot from the ground. Although it's not a true annual, this fast-growing plant can be expected to behave as an annual in our climate if left outdoors over the winter, usually needing replacement the following year. As such, gardeners should take into consideration that it will perform differently than it would in its native habitat.

This plant does best in full sun to partial shade. It prefers to grow in average to moist conditions, and shouldn't be allowed to dry out. This plant will benefit from an application of bonemeal and/or mycorrhizal fertilizer at the time of planting. It is not particular as to soil type or pH, and is able to handle environmental salt. It is highly tolerant of urban pollution and will even thrive in inner city environments, and will benefit from being planted in a relatively sheltered location. This species is not originally from North America.

Variegated Arabian Lilac is a fine choice for the garden, but it is also a good selection for planting in outdoor pots and containers. Its large size and upright habit of growth lend it for use as a solitary accent, or in a composition surrounded by smaller plants around the base and those that spill over the edges. It is even sizeable enough that it can be grown alone in a suitable container. Note that when growing plants in outdoor containers and baskets, they may require more frequent waterings than they would in the yard or garden.

 
 
Hardiness Zone Plant Height Minimum Sunlight
Characteristics
Massing  Screening  Garden  Container 
Applications
Flowers  Fruit  Foliage Color  Texture  Plant Form  Attracts Wildlife 
Ornamental Features