Common Name:
Vetiver
Plant Type:
Grass
Family:
Poaceae (The Grass Family)
Geographic Origin:
South and southeast Asia
California Native?:
No

Plant Size:
4-6 feet
Landscape/Garden Uses:
Mixed plantings
Flowering Season:
Summer

Flower Color:
Straw Color
Exposure:
Sun or light shade
Soils:
Most soils

Suggested Irrigation:
Moderate watering
Estimated Hardiness:
Hardy to 15 degrees F. or less

A durable clumping grass that forms a strong vertical column, vetiver is renowned for erosion control. Roots can grow 10-12 feet deep and are useful in slope and streambed stabilization. In fall, the fine-textured foliage blushes a beautiful purple-red and leaf tips curl like party streamers. Its fragrant roots are the source of vetiver oil used in perfume production, which has made it an important commercial plant in India for thousands of years. Tolerates coastal to desert conditions.