We deliver in Nagpur only. Courier shipping is paused — everything is brought to you by hand. Where we deliver

Shop  /  Khus (Vetiver)

Heritage

Khus (Vetiver)

The grass behind every khus curtain and every cooler pad in a Nagpur summer.

Chrysopogon zizanioides · खस Khus / वाळा Vala
Pet safeImpossible to killTraditional useFragrantEasy care
₹150Inclusive of all taxes. Free delivery in Nagpur over ₹299.
Suits
Balcony · Garden
Size
6" pot · grows to 150 cm
Gift for
Housewarming

Khus grows as a dense clump of stiff grey-green grass, and the scent everybody knows lives in the roots rather than the leaves. Nearly indestructible in full sun, drinks heavily, and holds a bank or a pot edge together with a root system that goes down further than the plant is tall.

Light
Full Sun
Water
High
Care
Easy
Safe around cats and dogs

No known toxicity to household pets.

Check delivery
Prepaid only. Live plants can’t be sent cash-on-delivery — a refused delivery comes back dead.
30-day replacement guarantee. If it arrives damaged or declines within 30 days, send us a photo and we replace it.
Botanical nameChrysopogon zizanioides
Also known asखस Khus / वाळा Vala
Size6"
LightFull Sun
PlacementOutdoor, Balcony
Mature height150 cm
DeliveryNagpur only
HandlingStandard
SKUGM-PL-KHS-6
Country of originIndia

What it actually does

Scents a whole balcony

The flowers open after sunset and the scent carries far further than the plant's size suggests.

The scent is in the roots, so a pot of khus is quiet until you water it or disturb the surface.

Where it comes from

Native to India and grown across the tropics for its roots, which are woven into screens and distilled for perfumery. The roots grow almost straight down rather than spreading, sometimes past three metres, which is why it is planted on slopes and embankments to hold soil in place.

Khus screens hung at doorways and windows are one of the oldest cooling arrangements in India: wetted through the afternoon, the room takes the scent as the water evaporates. The smell is inseparable from summer for most people who grew up with it.

You might also like