Plant pickup: Thursdays 3–7pm · Also by appointment 512.348.7570
Plant pickup: Thursdays 3–7pm · Also by appointment 512.348.7570
— Plant Nursery · Texas-Grown
$12.00
Mature Plant Size: 3-6’x2-3′
Vetiver Grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides) is a dense, deep-rooted bunching grass renowned for erosion control and its fragrant roots, used in perfumery. The sterile ornamental cultivars grown in the U.S. form a well-behaved, non-spreading clump rather than an aggressive runner.
At Flying Rabbit Farm, our Vetiver Grass divisions are grown for strong root development, useful for erosion control on slopes and swale edges around Austin properties.
2 in stock
Low water needs once established
Drought tolerant; established plants need little supplemental water beyond rainfall
Little to no fertilizer needed
Cut back to 6-8 inches in late winter to remove old growth before spring flush
Divide congested clumps in spring if needed
Generally pest- and disease-free
Root rot in poorly draining or overwatered soil
A low-water, low-maintenance choice well suited to Austin’s alkaline clay soils once established
Marginally cold-hardy in Austin; foliage may brown back in a hard freeze but the crown is usually root-hardy in Zone 8b with good drainage
Best planting window; establishes before summer heat
Vigorous growth; tolerates both heat and periodic flooding, making it useful along drainage swales
Second good planting window
Foliage typically browns after a hard freeze; new growth resumes from the base in spring
Fall or spring, avoiding the height of summer heat and hard freezes
Ideal soil temperatures: 60-85 F
Full sun
Minimum 6-8 hours daily
2-3 feet apart
Well-draining soil; tolerates poor, rocky, or alkaline soils
pH 6.5-8.5
Water deeply at transplanting
Water regularly for the first growing season to establish roots, then reduce
Vetiver Grass is generally considered non-toxic to:
As with other ornamental grasses, the coarse blades can cause mechanical mouth or gum irritation if chewed in quantity.
