Photo: Deepugn at Malayalam Wikipedia / Public domain / Wikimedia Commons

Vetiver

Chrysopogon zizanioides

A tall, deep-rooted, salt and drought tolerant bunch grass that makes a swaying screen, anchors sandy slopes and yields the fragrant roots behind vetiver oil. Buy sterile stock.

Mature size1.2–2.4 m tall, 0.9–1.2 m spreadGrowthModerateSunFull sunWaterLow

Heat: 5 of 5

Salt: 4 of 5

Drought: 4 of 5

Shade: 2 of 5

Ease of care: 5 of 5

Use in a design Get it looked after

Some fertile genotypes of vetiver have become invasive in other countries. The clone sold in the United States, 'Sunshine', is sterile (NC State). Buy sterile, division-propagated stock from a nursery that can name the clone, and avoid seed-raised plants.

Season

Through the Dubai year

How Vetiver behaves through Dubai's seasons, month by month.

JJan

FFeb

MMar

AApr

MMay

JJun

JJul

AAug

SSep

OOct

NNov

DDec

Avg high °C

24°

26°

29°

34°

38°

40°

42°

40°

36°

31°

27°

Best planting window

Spring growth flush

Mar – May

Brownish-purple panicles

Jun – Aug

Hard cut-back

Best planting window: Mar–Apr, Oct–Nov
Moderate temperatures give the deep root system time to establish before the extremes of summer.
Spring growth flush: Mar–May
Brownish-purple panicles: Jun–Aug
NC State records summer flowering on 6-inch panicles.
Hard cut-back: Feb
Cut back before spring growth to keep the clump tidy and encourage fresh leaves.

Vetiver is a warm-season grass, so the long warm months suit it. New growth flushes from March, and the clump builds to its full height through spring. Brownish-purple flower panicles appear in summer, according to NC State, and the evergreen leaves hold their shape through winter. A hard cut-back in late winter, in February, keeps the clump neat and encourages fresh growth before the next season. Spring and autumn are the easiest planting windows, since the deep root system needs time to establish before the heat of midsummer.

Meet the plant

Meet the Vetiver

Meet vetiver, the grass that does its best work where you cannot see it. Above ground it is a plain, handsome fountain of narrow, stiff blades; below ground it is one of the deepest-rooting grasses a gardener can buy, with roots that drive two to four metres into the soil.

That root system is the technicality that matters. Where a lawn grass anchors only the top few centimetres, vetiver ties the ground together to depth, which is why it is used worldwide to stabilise slopes and to soak up excess nutrients from soil and water. Its tolerance of salt and drought follows from the same architecture.

Visually it is calm and architectural: a tall, upright screen that moves in the wind but does not collapse. Dig a root, and the rich, earthy fragrance that perfumers prize rises from it, a reminder that this plain-looking grass has been valued for far more than its looks.

Vetiver, also called khus, is a warm-season bunch grass native to India. NC State Extension describes it growing 4 to 8 feet (about 1.2 to 2.4 m) tall and 3 to 4 feet wide, forming a clump of narrow, stiff, erect leaves, with brownish-purple flower panicles in summer. It is evergreen and coarse in texture, and it is rated low-maintenance with no significant pest or disease problems. As an ornamental it reads as a tall, soft-edged screen that sways in the wind rather than flopping.

What makes it exceptional is the root. Unlike most grasses, whose roots spread in a shallow mat, vetiver's grow straight down, reaching 2 to 4 metres. NC State notes that this strong, deep root system is why it is used worldwide for soil and water conservation, and that it also tolerates salt, drought and heavy metals and can remove excess nitrates and phosphates from soil and water. For a Dubai garden that translates into a salt-tolerant, drought-tolerant plant for sandy slopes, banks and boundaries. It needs open sun, since shading slows its growth, and it prefers sandy loam to heavy clay.

The caution is genetic. Fertile genotypes of vetiver have become invasive elsewhere, whereas the sterile clone sold as 'Sunshine' in the United States does not seed. Buy division-propagated, sterile stock and ask your nursery to name the clone. The roots are also fragrant, which is why they are distilled for vetiver oil in cosmetics and aromatherapy, and used for khus syrup as a flavouring. Set it beside Date Palm, Agave and Hopbush for a tough, low-water planting.

Design

Where to use it

Tall screen or informal hedgeSlope and bank stabiliserBoundary plantingLarge specimen clump

Give it open sun and enough room, at least a metre across for each clump, and plant it where its deep roots are an asset: a sandy bank, a boundary where soil blows away, or a screen along a wall. Space plants closer for a continuous hedge and wider for individual clumps. Keep it out of shade and away from tight beds, and always buy sterile, division-propagated stock so the plant stays where you put it.

Date Palm

Date palm shares vetiver's salt and drought tolerance, and the grass's soft, upright mass makes a fine foil for the palm's trunk and crown.

Agave

Agave's rigid rosettes give a bold, sculptural counterpoint to the tall, swaying vetiver, and both ask for little water.

Hopbush

A clipped hopbush hedge or mass gives a denser backdrop for the airy grass, in a similar low-water palette.

Ghaf

The native ghaf tree's open canopy and the tall grass make a layered, drought-adapted scheme with a strong sense of place.

Care guide

How to grow it in Dubai

Watering: Summer: Very drought tolerant once the roots are down; a deep soak every week or two keeps growth lush in peak heat.
Winter: Rain and an occasional watering are enough.
Establishment: Water regularly for the first two to three months while the deep root system develops.
Soil: Sandy loam is preferred and clay loam acceptable; heavy clay is not. NC State records acid to alkaline clay or sandy loams with good drainage, and tolerance of salt.
Feeding: Little needed; it takes up dissolved nutrients readily and thrives on lean soil.
Pruning: Cut back hard in late winter, before spring growth, to keep the clump tidy.
Planting: Plant division-propagated, sterile stock in full sun in March, April, October or November. Space closer for a hedge, wider for single clumps.
Pests: No significant problems (NC State Extension)

Avoid these

Common mistakes

Buying seed-raised or unnamed stock. Fertile genotypes have become invasive elsewhere, so buy a sterile clone propagated by division.
Planting it in shade. Open sun matters, and shading slows its growth.
Squeezing it into a small bed. A mature clump reaches up to 2.4 m tall and about a metre across.
Expecting an overnight hedge. A continuous screen needs close spacing and a season or two to fill.
Leaving the clump uncut for years. A late-winter cut-back keeps it tidy and refreshes the foliage.

Extra notes

Good to know

Vetiver's roots grow downward 2 to 4 metres, unlike most grasses, whose roots spread in a shallow mat.
NC State records that the sterile cultivar 'Sunshine' is the one sold in the United States, and that propagation is by division.
Oil distilled from the roots is used in cosmetics and aromatherapy, and the roots flavour khus syrup.
NC State notes it tolerates heavy metals and can remove excess nitrates and phosphates from soil and water.

Pros

Roots reach 2 to 4 m, so it is drought tolerant and a proven slope and soil stabiliser
Salt and drought tolerant, per NC State Extension
Tall, upright, swaying screen with a soft edge
Low maintenance, with no significant pest or disease problems
Fragrant roots are the source of vetiver oil used in perfumery and cosmetics

Cons

Fertile genotypes have become invasive elsewhere, so only sterile clones should be planted
Needs open sun; shade slows its growth
A large plant, up to 2.4 m tall and 1.2 m across, so it needs space
Coarse, stiff texture will not suit a delicate planting

FAQ

Common questions

Is vetiver invasive?

Fertile genotypes of vetiver have become invasive in other countries, but sterile clones such as 'Sunshine', the cultivar sold in the United States, do not set seed and spread only by the clump growing wider. Buy division-propagated, sterile stock and ask the nursery to name the clone.

Why is vetiver used on slopes and banks?

Its roots grow downward 2 to 4 metres rather than spreading in a shallow mat, so a row of clumps binds soil to depth. NC State describes this strong, deep root system as the reason it is used worldwide for soil and water conservation.

Does vetiver tolerate salt and drought?

Yes. NC State lists it as salt and drought tolerant, and its deep roots let it keep growing once established on very little water. It still needs regular watering for the first two to three months.

How big does vetiver get?

NC State gives 4 to 8 feet tall (about 1.2 to 2.4 m) and 3 to 4 feet wide. Plan for a clump about a metre across and leave room around it.

Can I use it as a screen in Dubai?

It makes a good tall, soft screen in open sun and sandy soil. Space plants closely for a continuous hedge, expect a season or two to fill, and avoid shaded sites where its growth slows.

Not sure how it suits your garden?

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