How (else) is Vetiver used?
Vetiver's stunning mass of deep, strong, fibrous roots and thick thatch of stiff leaves have led to its extensive use in a variety of areas:
• As a nurse crop. Vetiver stabilizes and replenishes nutrients in highly degraded areas. Rehabilitated sites welcome the return of native plants.
• As a privacy barrier. Vetiver forms a tall, dense barrier that defeats prying eyes and creates a serene green paradise. It creates a beautiful, economical perimeter on small, urban lots.
• To absorb contaminants in water and soil. Private companies and municipalities use Vetiver systems to protect and heal degraded environments. Vetiver roots absorb pollutants and clarify water.
• As a graffiti barrier. A strip of Vetiver growing against a hollow tile or concrete wall will separate even the most determined tagger from your “canvas.”
• As a grass wall and boundary marker. Vetiver hedges are so stable that surveyors rely on them to establish property lines.
• To terrace, and retain nutrients. Between slender rows of Vetiver, farmers can grow crops that benefit from the accumulation of silt and plant nutrients. Vetiver’s vertical roots nurture adjacent crops.
• As an excellent batch material. Mature leaves produce long-lasting absorbent mulch that reduces evaporation and helps mycorrhizae to accumulate. (Quick: close your eyes and spell “mycorrhizae.”)
• As a windbreak. Given its natural height, Vetiver protects new plantings and saplings from wind.
• To line the banks of fish ponds. Vetiver stabilizes lo'i and the banks of fish ponds. It thrives in water and prevents the banks from sliding.
• As a bioswale. A Vetiver grass channel is an attractive alternative to traditional concrete drainage ditches, and effectively filters and attenuates stormwater runoff.
• To divert water. Vetiver hedges can be configured and installed at strategic points to divert water and slow the velocity of rainfall runoff.
• As a constructed wetland. Installed as a leachfield, Vetiver absorbs nutrients generated by cesspools, piggeries, dairy and poultry farms. Vetiver clarifies effluent and eliminates odors.
• As livestock feed. Vetiver's nutritional value is similar to Napier grass (Pennisetum pupureum). Hawaii farmers introduced Vetiver to local cows in the 1940s. The cows didn’t like it. But then they didn’t much like Napier grass, either.
• As a carbon sink. Given the concern regarding global warming and CO2 emissions, 44,500 acres of land protected by Vetiver hedges will provide a CO2 sink for the carbon produced by 100,000 cars traveling 12,500 miles a year!
• As biofuel. Dry
biomass yields exceed 370 ton/ha. per year (Golabi, 2008).
Harvested three to four times each year, average production ranges
between 120-130 tons/ha. per harvest. Id. Annual yield is generally 10 - 20% higher with four harvests.
Vetiver
leaves are high in cellulose; their major chemical components are
hemicellulose (ca. 38%) and cellulose (ca. 27%) (Kethacanon et al.,
2003). Vetiver leaves can be used as a substrate for ethanol
production through alkali pretreatment followed by enzyme hydrolysis and
yeast fermentation, which generates an ethanol yield of 13% after
one-cycle column distillation (Kuhirun and Punnapayak, 2000).
• As a beautiful ornamental. Landscapers use Vetiver's tall leaves to accent water features and provide height in decorative installations.
• As an insect repellent. Vetiver controls insects, which find its leaves and fragrant roots unappealing.
• As a termiticide. The same highly aromatic fragrance that drives perfumistas wild causes the Formosan ground termite to lose its appetite.
• As a food additive. Vetiver is used domestically in cooking; it’s infused in tea and also used in baking.
• As a fragrance. The cosmetic industry uses Vetiver essential oil and extracts widely. The plant also has medicinal properties.
• As textile. Crafters use Vetiver leaves and roots to create an extensive range of beautiful woven handicrafts. Like its sister, bamboo, which creates luxurious textiles, Vetiver would seem suited to producing soft, durable fabric.
To access more than 12,000 pages of Vetiver applications, technical papers, photographs, diagrams, and anecdotal information:
The Vetiver Network (International)
Call us: 808-536-5444