Chaste tree thicket (alocar)

The alocar (Vinco-Viticetum agnicasti), or chaste tree thicket, that grows on this bank of the Riera d'Argentona is natural and here largely dominates the reed beds. Chaste trees are shrubs between one and three metres tall that grow along the banks of streams and torrents on the siliceous soils so characteristic of the Maresme. It is worth noting that the alocar is recognised as a natural habitat of community interest included in the European Habitats Directive.

It is a very flexible shrub with many medicinal properties. It is used to treat menstrual disorders, anxiety, insomnia, tachycardia, vertigo, etc. As a curiosity, during the Second World War its ashes were used to make gunpowder, and they can also be used to make soap.