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Products > Chrysopogon zizanioides 'Sunshine
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| Category: Grass |
| Family: Poaceae (Gramineae) (Grasses) |
| Origin: India (Asia) |
| Evergreen: Yes |
| Red/Purple Foliage: Yes |
| Flower Color: NA |
| Bloomtime: Infrequent |
| Fragrant Flowers: Yes |
| Synonyms: [Vetiveria zizanioides, Phalaris zizanioides] |
| Height: 4-5 feet |
| Width: 3-4 feet |
| Exposure: Sun or Shade |
| Irrigation (H2O Info): Low Water Needs |
| Winter Hardiness: 20-25° F |
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Chrysopogon zizanioides 'Sunshine' (Vetiver) - A selection of Vetiver that is an evergreen grass that grows in dense erect clumps to 4 to 5 feet tall by 3 to 4 feet wide with narrow rigid upwardly-growing leaves that are often bent downwards at a steep angle 1 to 2 feet from the tip. The light green leaves flush an attractive bronze color in cooler months. Plant in full sun to light shade. Its adaptability to various situations is phenomenal, with the ability to withstand months submerged yet the strong fibrous roots, which grow as deep as 6 to 12 feet, give this plant incredible drought tolerance and also makes it an excellent plant for soil stabilization on a slope and useful for penetrating and breaking up compacted soils. The shoots arise from underground which also protects new growth so it is more cold tolerant than one would expect for a tropical plant, tolerating temperatures below 20 F and is useful through USDA Zone 9. This subterranean growth point also makes the plant able to survive fire and severe herbivore grazing pressure. This amazing plant also tolerates high levels of nitrates, phosphates, heavy metals, and agricultural chemicals and for this reason is used for treating wastewater and rehabilitating polluted sites. In the garden it is useful in the middle or rear of a perennial border, in a large container, as a low screening plant and for slope stabilization. The Sunshine cultivar does not produce viable seed and is not rhizomatous, with clumps expanding by offshoots, so it is not considered invasive and can be easily maintained in place as a edging or even a small hedge. Because the Sunshine cultivar is not invasive it is the clone that the USDA and Natural Resources Conservation Service cite for its noninvasive traits and is the only type recommended by NRCS for use in the Pacific Islands Area. We got our plants from Doug Richardson who tells us he got this cultivar from the USDA in 1998. The name Vetiver is derived from Tamil and reportedly means"root that is dug up" but in western and northern India, it is commonly known as khus or khus-khus. There is a great planting of Vetiver that has stabilized a large slope on the Santa Barbara City College campus near the corner of Loma Alta Drive and Shoreline Drive.
The information on this page is based on research conducted in our nursery library and from online sources as well as from observations made of this plant as it grows in our nursery, in the nursery's garden and in other gardens that we have visited. We have also incorporated comments received from others and always appreciate getting feedback of any kind from those who have some additional information, particularly if this information is contrary to what we have written or includes additional cultural tips that would aid others in growing Chrysopogon zizanioides 'Sunshine.
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