A herb that lends itself to basketmaking.
The chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus) is commonly found at lower altitudes, predominantly in riverbeds, damp areas behind coastal dunes, and along lake shores.
The genus name 'Vitex' comes from the Latin word 'vitreus,' signifying 'wicker.' This is attributed to the flexible branches of the chaste tree, mirroring its historical application in basketry.
The term ‘agnus–castus’ is derived from the Greek ‘agnos’ (‘chaste’) and the Latin ‘castus’ (‘pure’). The chaste tree, since antiquity, has also held a reputation as an anaphrodisiac, a suppressant of sexual desire. According to Dioscorides, it was considered ‘sterile’ (=unable to produce offspring), and women in the Thesmophoria used its branches as a bed to uphold their purity.
According to the Region of Crete, in mythology, Prometheus adorned his head with a wreath made of chaste tree branches as a remembrance of the fetters he once bore crafted from them. Additionally, as mentioned by Homer in the Iliad, Achilles bound the sons of Priam with chaste tree branches in the forests of Ida.
The chaste tree can reach a height of three metres and blooms throughout the summer until November. Both its flowers and palmate leaves emit a pleasant aroma.
Info: Wikipedia
The flora of Crete
Greek Sage
Cretan Oregano or Cretan Marjoram
Colchicum Balansae - Balansa Colchico
Cretan Zelkova
Carob Tree (Ceratonia Siliqua)
The Cretan Date Palm
Kermes Oak (Quercus Coccifera)
Ironwort
Sand Lily, Sea Lily (Pancratium Maritimum)
Cretan Cyclamen
The Cretan Cephalanthera
Dittany
Phoenician Juniper and Large-Fruited Juniper
Gallipoli Rose
Natural Monuments
Lilac Wonder (Tulipa doerfleri)
Olive tree of Samonas
Thyme
Oregano
Camomile
Mint
Preserving the Heritage: Ancient Olive Trees of Crete
The Ancient Olive Tree of Vrysses, Amari
Bali's Ancient Olive Tree: Documented in Preservation Efforts
Gra Elia (The Old Olive Tree)
The Ancient Olive Tree of Kato Asites: Host to the 1st Olive Festival
Sitia's Ancient Olive Tree: A Record of Preservation Initiatives
Asperula Crassula
Carlina diae, Carlina of Dia
Anthemis Filicaulis, Slender-stemmed Chamomile
Dianthus Fruticosus Subsp. Sitiacus
Silene Holzmannii
Carlina Sitiensis
Bellevalia Sitiaca
Limonium Sitiacum
Viola Scorpiuroides
The Ancient Olive Tree of Kakodiki
Laurel
Rosemary
Common Basil
Honeysuckle
Oat
Myrtle
Cretan Rockrose
Ophrys Sitiaca
The Ancient Olive Tree of Viannos: Unveiling a Treasured Discovery
The Ancient Olive Tree of Fourfouras
Mandrake
Androcymbium Rechingeri
Autumn Lady's-tresses
Tournefort Crocus
Orchis Sitiaca
Ancient Olive Tree in Kouroutes
Mediterranean Meadow Saffron