It will be twice that size next year. They grow very fast.
I had one at my former house that I cut to the ground each year and mulched heavy. That will work for you...I think.
I have one here that was planted the spring of 08. I cut it to the ground in early 09, but not this year. It is now about 10 ft. tall.
Also, they root easy in water or soil. You might consider taking cuttings if you cut it back. I stuck a stick in a pot of tomatoes to use as a stake and I noticed a couple days ago the it has leaves coming out at soil level.

I realize y'all have a lot colder winters than we do here in TX. But this winter was the coldest in 20+ years. Most of anything sort of iffy in this zone died. But the vitex -chaste tree came back just fine.

Kathy

BTW it looks lovely where you put it.

Thanks Kathy. I hoping to keep it pruned into more of a tree shape if I can - by trimming off lower branches and just pruning the top. Is that possible?

I have a Bush Clover on the other side of the garden nearly opposite this corner that has quickly grown into a mini-monster, just as I was warned it would; and I cut it to the ground in March.

One of these days I might just be out there with a chain saw trying to reclaim my garden! ha.

The first one I had I cut back every spring. It reminded me of a murdered crape myrtle in the winter. Those "cuts" are ugly. IMO, it's called a "tree" for a reason. As the Beatles said, let it be.

I have had mine for about three years now and it gets very little additional water. I would guess it is now about3.5 x 3.5 feet. I think it will grow slower for us than south. I loose some top over winter and have to cut back to green stuff.

I prune up the trunk of mine after it was a few years in the ground. Figure out which trunks you like best (I think I have three on mine) and prune off the waterspouts and shoots. They shape up easily if you can figure out your strongest, prettiest trunks to use and stay with that plan. I no longer trim the top of mine. I do think that they grow quickly, too.

When watering to get a tree established, I water that circle of drip line beneath the tips of the branches. Chaste tree is drought tolerant once established, but can handle rain and humidity, too.

Cameron

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. The tree shouldn't have been in such a small container, it really was pretty bad how the roots were packed together in a circle. Haven't been out to the garden yet this morning, plus we didn't get the rain overnight.

I'll be keeping an eye on it.

I had to google this one as I don't know much about it other then I've heard the name, my it has pretty flowers. Would it grow for me or is this another I have to admire from afar.

Annette

Chaste tree (vitex) should do fine in Zone 8. We have a massive one in a county park in marginal zones 6/7, and it's in a rather exposed site. I have no idea how old it is.

Checking to see whether these do well on the west coast (and apparently so, at least in Washington), I found the site linked below - you may find it interesting. Please note there are different varieties of vitex, some of which may be better-suited for certain regions.

Here is a link that might be useful: Vitex agnus-castus L.

In 1984 I planted a cutting (from my 1st MIL's tree) in the hell stripe..
As it grew, I pinch the top out.
after that I pinched off the left side and the top of the right branch. I began pinching off alternate sides to make a zigzag trunk.
The family living there call it their Dr. Zeuss tree.

They are hardy and are one of the types planted on freeway embankments.

Schoolhouse, in Z5 so you may be forced to keep it as a shrub because it may die back to the ground entirely like a butterfly bush. It looks beautiful where you planted it.

Thanks thyme. I guess I'll just have to wait and see how it behaves here in Wayne County.

I've tried growing a Pagoda Dogwood in this spot as well as a Pink Dogwood, and both have died. The Pagoda was eaten by rabbits and tried to come back the following Spring but succumbed. The Pink Dogwood tree just dried up and died within months. To be fair, I've opened the space up more and removed some of a stone wall that was too close. May have been too much sun for the dogwoods also.