Vetiver is a grass from the Poaceae family of plants, scientifically called Chrysopogon zizanioides. In India, it�s called �khus,� where it grows naturally, but today it�s also widely produced in Haiti, Java, Japan, the Philippines, and R�union. A fast-growing perennial, it can survive up to 50 years or more, as all those green leaves are supported by a vast network of underground, interlinked roots that grow vertically, not horizontally, about 12 feet into the soil. These roots are what we use to get vetiver essential oil.