The Landscaper

Montrose Purple Vitex:
Vitex agnus-castus verbenaceae

In the Verbena family, this pest free-sun loving tree goes by many names.
Most commonly known as Vitex, this wonderful tree can also be known as Texas lilac, Indian spice, Hemp tree, Pepper tree and Monks pepper tree.



The fragrant flowers are bright lavender in color and full
of nectar which makes this tree a great choice to attract
Hummingbirds and Butterflies.


A fast growing deciduous tree that can grow to be 18' tall and 10-15' wide.
Drought tolerant and given the name "Pepper Tree" during the Great Depression, the Vitex seeds were used as a pepper substitute.


This Purple Vitex is one of my favorites and makes for a wonderful focal point
in any courtyard, patio or landscape design.

Please feel free to contact me with any questions you might have.
Happy Gardening!
Portia Leyendecker

The Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is an annual plant in the Asteraceae family.
A native to the Americas.

The stem can grow to be 9 feet tall and the flower head can
reach almost 12" in diameter.

This beauty was first discovered by Francisco Pizarro in Peru and was
worshiped by the Incas as a symbol of the Sun God.
There is also evidence that the sunflower was first domesticated in Mexico by 2600 BC.
The seeds were brought to Europe in the 16th century.

Milkweed is a great source of food for Butterflies and Hummingbirds.
A host plant for the Monarch Butterfly, Asclepias Curassavica is a wonderful perennial that loves full sun. You can grow it from seed or in potted form.

Monarch on a Viburnum leaf.

Butterfly Weed or Milk Weed is a great addition to any landscape or garden.

This is a project we just worked on and it includes
a New Orleans theme Courtyard and Butterfly Garden.

In addition to the Butterfly attracting plants, we installed
a natural stone border and a gravel parking area.

These are the before shots of the Courtyard and the Butterfly Garden.