Vetiveria zizanoides is a tropical plant that grows in various types of soil conditions This species appears in a dense clump and grows fast through tillering. The clump diameter is about 30 cm. and the height is 50-150 cm. The leaves are erect and rather stiff with 75 cm. of length and 8 mm. of width.
The special characteristic of this grass is its long and massive rooting system, it can grow 3 meters of roots in 9 months or 1 foot of root every month. Because of this, the Vetiver Grass Technology, was first developed by the World Bank for soil and water conservation in India in the 1980s. Today it is widely used here and abroad for soil erosion prevention and pollution control.
The Vetiver System is a versatile and cost-efficient bio-engineering method that is currently used in over 100 countries. It is response to environmental mitigation needs over a broad range of ecological conditions that are normally treated with traditional engineering solutions or none at all. At the core of this soil and wear conservation solutions or none at all. At the core of this soil and water conservation system is a unique tropical plant, the Vetiver grass (Chrysopogan zizanioides).