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Profile:1 positive
1 neutral
No negatives
Gardeners' Notes:
| Rating | Author | Comment |
| Positive | isom | On Jul 27, 2009, isom from Mission BC
Canada (Zone 8b) wrote:I haven't grown this grass but would love to give it a try. I'm adding the positive note for the wonderful qualities it has. As already mentioned by careyjane, it is excellent to use for controlling soil erosion. So well known is it, that this method of holding soil from erosion & heavy rain runoff is called the Vetiver System!!
However, the reason I'd like to grow it is for its roots if wisely harvested. The roots can highly fragrant when dried & since they grow downwards, are long. In India, the roots are loosely woven into mats & hung in doorways during hot weather. Then, they're sprayed with water & the evaporation cools the room while imparting a lovely scent to the home.
The oil extracted from the roots forms the base notes to a great many expensive perfumes. The fragrance is rich, earthy without smelling like dirt or roots. It's similar to freshly mown hay but lighter & sweeter. Years ago, I had a small vial of khus-khus oil (the Indian name for the plant) that I've never forgotten & tried to find again - but with no luck.
The essential oil vertiver (I've seen it spelled both ways) that's sold in health food & aromatherapy stores is nothing like the oil I had. It smells cheap & rather unpleasant to me despite the stores' assurances that it's genuine. It's one reason I'd like to grow the grass itself to have my own roots although I wouldn't try to distill them. Besides, I love the look of tall unusual grasses in a garden setting. | | Neutral | careyjane | On Sep 3, 2007, careyjane from Rabat
Morocco wrote:This seems to be the most amazing plant: it is useful in erosion control, water purification, planting on public waste landfill sites and many other things too. Its roots are very deep -- up to 1.5m -- and it resists methane gas in dumping grounds, salty water and soil.
Being sterile, it is not invasive, but can live for 100 years in the same place, forming hedges which prevent erosion, stop topsoil and water from being lost from sloping sites. On top of that it is very attractive and takes on a burgundy red glow when in flower. With it's leaves chopped off straight across the top, it forms a zen, very architectural plant.
I am enamoured with it and hope to explore its many possibilities in the future. |
| Regional...This plant has been said to grow in the following regions: Merritt Island, Florida
New Orleans, Louisiana
Opelousas, Louisiana
Saint Louis, Missouri
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One vendor has this plant for sale.
