Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia ("Ninjinboku")

Japanese name: ニンジンボク （人参木）
Scientific name: Vitex negundo var. cannabifolia

[Overview]
A deciduous shrub or small tree about 3 m tall.
The branches are slightly ridged and covered with short hairs.
The leaves are opposite and palmately compound, consisting of 3–5 leaflets.
The leaflets are oblong to lanceolate with pointed tips and coarsely toothed margins.
The leaflets have short stalks.
Panicles 10–20 cm long are produced at the branch tips.
The flowers are pale bluish purple, and the tip of the corolla is divided into 5 lobes in two lips.
There are 4 stamens, which protrude out of the flower.
The fruit is a spherical drupe.

[History]
In Japan, seeds were imported for medicinal use during the Kyoho era of the Edo period.

[Uses]
The fruit is used medicinally.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed or by cuttings.
It prefers sunny, well-drained soil.
Avoid places exposed to dry, cold winter winds.
It grows fast and is a broad tree, so the planting site needs a width about equal to the tree's height.
For potted plants, water thoroughly when the soil surface dries; for plants in the ground, rainfall is sufficient.
Apply organic fertilizer in winter.
Since it is a tree enjoyed for its natural shape, little pruning is done; just cut dead branches at the base.
There are no particular pests or diseases.

[Notes]
The name compares the shape of the leaves to the leaves of Chosen-ninjin (ginseng).

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