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ohrats9

Chaste Trees and dogs

ohrats9
10 years ago

I would like a little more privacy along my fence and I am thinking about planting a couple of Chaste Trees as they grow quickly, stay small, fill out nicely, look beautiful and seem like a sturdy little tree.

I am wondering if anyone knows if they are toxic to dogs? My puppy thinks he is a gardener and is still learning not to prune everything.

Is this a decent little tree? It would be in full sun all day and the soil drains well. I would keep it pruned so it was more tree like in looks and stayed about 10'. Is that possible?

Thank you for your time!

Comments (11)

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    10 years ago

    I googled "vitex dogs toxic" and didn't find any horror stories. (though I did find a spam link selling "Vitex Tree Poisonous Dogs Vitamins" - I wonder what condition that would cure? The quality of google's index has really gone down.) They are nice ornamentals but NB in zn 6 they are not going to resemble pictures of ones in the south and will probably die back in some winters.
    Most poisonous plant taste terrible, and I think many more dogs die every year from things their owners stupidly feed them than random plants they eat. I mean, if you were growing a bunch of aconitums and fertilizing them with bacon bits, you might have a problem. Otherwise you should be ok.

    This post was edited by davidrt28 on Tue, Apr 30, 13 at 16:04

  • j0nd03
    10 years ago

    Perhaps you should post on a veterinarian forum OR even better, call one! They may have some specific websites you could research about animals and poisonous plants commonly found near houses or maybe some brochures

    John

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    One thing to note about these is that they are very late to leaf out....they will spend a goodly part of the year in bare branches. We forgive them that due to the stunning color of the bloom, but I wouldn't use them anywhere that I would be looking at them a lot, and a row/mass of them will really be a 'dead' spot for many months.

    I have a lot of them on a large commercial-type ranch and they are interplanted with other things. My dogs have never had a problem but my dogs are not as pruning-minded as yours seems to be!

    Sara

  • ohrats9
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thank you so much for your replies, I really appreciate it.

    I didn't realize they take so long to leaf, so I think I am going to skip them based on that alone.

    Besides, the more I read about the purpleleaf sand cherry, the more I like it.

  • rusty_blackhaw
    10 years ago

    Purple leaf sand cherries are short-lived shrubs, often falling prey to pests and diseases within 15 years or so. Better bets in the purple foliage category include Physocarpus "Diablo" and purple smoke tree hybrids.

    Chaste trees are vigorous trees/shrubs and a well-grown one is gorgeous. On the way to one of our local nurseries I pass a home that has a large mature Vitex in the front yard, and it's a show-stopper in flower.

  • davidrt28 (zone 7)
    10 years ago

    Agree with what Eric said, avoid the purple sand cherry.

  • ken_adrian Adrian MI cold Z5
    10 years ago

    and avoid purple plum .. also short lived.. and subject to black know and gumosis ...

    as to the dog.. skip investing in a tree for this year.. and spend the money on a dog training class ... there is no reason he should not know who is in charge of the garden.. and it AINT HIM ...

    ken

  • Sara Malone Zone 9b
    10 years ago

    You might still look at the Physocarpus, which is lovely when not in leaf as it has really cool bark, and can be pruned in a number of different ways (shrub, small tree form) or the Cotinus, which while not as interesting when leafless has superb fall color. There are lots of shrubs/small trees that might work for you but I defer to those in your zone as I am in another world when it comes to winter hardiness!

    Sara

  • cyn427 (z. 7, N. VA)
    10 years ago

    I love my two Vitex. They are starting to leaf out now here in the DC area. I am willing to wait because I love the flowers! I have two dogs who have not bothered them or been bothered by them. Azaleas are another story however-those are run over, trampled, dug up...:(

    I also love crabapples and now that we just had three trees removed today-so sad-I plan to plant at least one and maybe two in the yard.

  • ohrats9
    Original Author
    10 years ago

    Thanks for the dog input! :D

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