Shrubs and Herbs
黃荊
Yellow Bramble
Vitex negundo
Yellow Bramble is a common shrub found along roadsides and hillside shrublands. From April to June, clusters of light purple flowers bloom at the branch tips. Besides its ornamental value, it serves as an excellent nectar plant.
This plant holds significant importance in folk culture, with various parts widely used in daily life: its aromatic branches and leaves can be dried to make tea or processed into fragrant products; when burned, the branches and leaves act as a natural mosquito repellent; the fiber-rich bark is used in paper and artificial cotton production; and the roots, branches, leaves, and fruits all can be used in traditional Chinese medicine and for their antimicrobial effects.