Chrysopogon Species, Khus Khus, Vetiver Root

Planted as small "slips," the most commonly available way to purchase, in Los Angeles in September or October when it was blazing hot an...Read Mored dry. They did not grow. Many were brown, close to death after insufficient watering. Mild winter, respectable 14" inches of rain - they still did not do much of anything besides look less dead.

Once daytime temps started to hit the upper 70's, and with an enhanced watering schedule, they took off like racehorses. In a month, I think they grew 6 feet? They are very graceful, subtle grasses. A beautiful green color. They bend at a sharp angle once they get tall, and nod attractively in the wind.

My opinion is these are tropical climate grasses. They would be much happier in Miami, but they will perform well in Mediterranean climates. They will survive drought - not relish it. They like it hot, sunny, and wet.

Word of warning, the margins of the blades are SHARP

In addition to its many other practical uses, this long-lived, tropical, perennial bunch grass makes a very beautiful garden plant. It ca...Read Moren be grown as an annual north of the limit of its hardiness. It grows quickly where summers are hot.

Evergreen even in semi-arid conditions, the foliage turns a lovely bronze/burgundy color in fall through winter. The habit is stiffly upright, and leaves can reach 7' tall, drooping loosely at the tips. As with many grasses, the leaf edges are sharp. For tidiness, it should be cut back hard in spring before new growth begins. (An electric hedge trimmer makes short work of this. Wear gloves and long sleeves!)

The deep roots run straight down, and so do not compete with those of neighboring plants. Rhizomes are very short, and spread is extremely slow. (Some vetiver hedges are 200 years old.)

Vetiver makes wonderful hedges 6' high and 18" wide within a year after planting, spacing one plug every 6 inches.

Clumps never require division, but are easily propagated by crown division in spring. (The crown is about 6" below the surface.) They are also easily removed by digging out the crown, or by glyphosate herbicide. There are no significant pests or diseases.

Extraordinarily adaptable, vetiver can survive immersion in clear water for up to two months. Because of its deep roots, it also grows well in semi-arid climates without irrigation. It's highly adaptable about soil texture and pH, and tolerant of salt and toxic levels of at least 7 metals. It needs full sun and is intolerant of shade.

The wild species (from north India) has been deemed invasive (by seed) in some places, such as the Caribbean and Australia, but modern cultivars of south Indian provenance (such as 'Sunshine') rarely bloom and, when they do, produce sterile seeds. They are not invasive. 88% of samples taken from countries outside south Asia were found to be a single clone genetically indistinguishable from 'Sunshine', the product of thousands of years of selection. http://www.vetiver.org/USA-USDA-NRCS_Sunshine.pdf

This grass has many uses, and all are valuable. It is sometimes grown in gardens for the ornamental foliage effect. The leaves are traditionally used for animal fodder (when young) and for thatch, and now for biomass fuel production and phytoremediation of industrial contamination. They also make a great mulch. The roots and leaves have been used in weaving and basketry. The essential oil distilled from the roots has a sandalwood fragrance and is used in soaps and as a fixative in perfume, as well as in traditional Ayurvedic medicine. Various biologically active compounds are under investigation, as (for example) a fungicide and a termite repellant. In India, vetiver hedges grown on contour have been used to stabilize steep eroding slopes and establish terraces (and to increase water infiltration) for hundreds of years. They are also used as windbreaks, fire breaks, and nurse plants. http://www.vetiver.org/USA-USDA-NRCS_Sunshine.pdf

There is no comparable graminoid.

I was wondering if there is a comparable graminoid that is hardy to zone 5?

I planted this grass around my pond to stop erosion. It has become one of my favorite plants - no fuss and pleasing look throughout the year.