At the heart of the Vetiver System is the plant - Chrysopogon zizanioides - formerly Vetiveria zizanioides. This plant, commonly known as vetiver grass, is a clump grass originating in south India. There are many cultivars of vetiver grass but those originating in south India are sterile and non invasive. It is these cultivars with names such as Sunshine and Monto that TVNI promotes for use for the Vetiver System. Learn "In-Depth" About Vetiver
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Vetiver Grass Technical Specifications provide more detail on the range of climate and soil that the plant can be grown in. The two links below provide very good information about the plant and its propagation.
Is vetiver grass invasive? NO!!! Vetiver Grass: New Risk Factor Assessment:	A recent Wall Street Journal article published on August 22nd 2007 by Susan Warren. "Found in the Weeds: Bug Scientist Touts Cure for Levee Leaks" once again raises the issue as to whether Vetiver grass might be invasive. Recently the Pacific Island Ecosystem at Risk (PIER) carried out a new risk assessment of non fertile Vetiver grass cultivars from south India that are typified by Sunshine (US) and Monto (Australia) genotypes. Vetiver grass, Chrysopogon zizanioides, a.k.a. Vetiveria zizanioides is rated minus eight (-8). This rating is based on Australian/New Zealand weed risk assessment protocol, modified for Hawaii. It is a very strict and thorough protocol. You can find the details of the PIER vetiver assessment here.
Vetiver Grass Root Excavation in Brazil	There is a nice video by Alberto Rodriguez of VetiverSolutions who put together images from Fernando Costa Pinto of Brazil showin the excavation to 4 meters of a vetiver grass clump and roots - some job!!
PLANT GUIDE ‘SUNSHINE’ VETIVERGRASS Chrysopogon zizanioides (L.) Roberty	A useful plant guide, particularly for US users of the Vetiver System, published by USDA/NRCS
Vetiver System Madagascar New Picassa album	Coppin Yoann of Madagascar, a private sector entrepreneur, has just set up a new Picassa album - Vetiver System Madagascar - showing some of his work. Apart from his excellent technical work in applying the technology, he shows how local farmers are now producing very good quality vetiver plants and selling those plants in the local market - THIS IS PROGRESS!!
"Why are not more people using the Vetiver System technology???"	The Vetiver System has come a long way over the past 20 years and there are a lot of users applying the technology for different purposes. We know that most users, once using it correctly, are avid fans of the technology. The question is "why are not more people using the technology"? "Why is it not being used at an accelerated rate" or is it? Here is a summary of responses from around the world.
	Vetiver System - Vetiver Grass - The Plant Read more (html w/ images) This technical handbook was extracted from "The Vetiver System - A Technical Reference Manual" by Paul Truong, Tran Tan Van and Elise Pinners. Quick download and in full color.
	TECHNICAL HANDBOOK This handbook extracted from "The Vetiver System - A Technical Reference Manual by Paul Truong, Tran Tan Van and Ellise Pinners. Quick download and in full color. Vetiver System - Vetiver Grass - Plant Propagation (html with images). Read more
	NET POTS Here is a neat idea from Paulraj Vincent who lives in Coimbatore,Tamilnadu, India. "When planting Vetiver we normally use slips or poly bags. If we use slips, it takes 15-20 days to get root establishment with less than 100% survival. Of course cost wise cheap and easy to carry.With polybags we get good rooting and almost nil mortality. But you have to spend more money and labor to carry from one place to another. With NETPOTS the plant grows immediate, they are very light to carry, cheaper than poly bags a little high than bare rooted slips. Using NETPOTS method Just we have to dig a small hole of 5 inches deep and keep the netpot inside. Why not we try this method for propagation so that we can get quick growth in the field and little space to grow more plants in the Nursery". More images Please send in more innovative Vetiver Systems ideas.
	Mechanical planter for vetiver. The Australians modified a vegetable planter for the planting of vetiver: See more
	Vetiver System and Fire. Vetiver will survive very hot fires and will recover quickly to continue being an effective erosion barrier and slope stabilizer. The images include pictures from Austalia, Malaysia, Vanuatu, and the most recent fires in California.

If the technology does not work we find that 99% of failed applications are because plant and application guidelines were not followed. Read and learn from the handbooks and papers available on this site.

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