- Botanical Name
- Chrysopogon zizanioides
Vetiver
Details
Vetiver is a perennial bunchgrass of the grass family, Poaceae, commonly known as vetiver and khus, according to Wikipedia, which lists Andropogon zizanioides, Phalaris zizanioides and Vetiveria zizanioides among its older names. Cunningham heads his entry Vetivert under two of those older names, and calls it feminine, with Venus and earth. He lists love and hex-breaking, among others, and has the root burned to overcome evil spells, used in love powders, sachets and incenses, and put in a sachet in the bathwater. Kynes gives earth and fire, Capricorn, Libra and Taurus, and Jupiter, Saturn and Venus, with the deities Ganesh, Oshun, Shiva and Yemaya. Her powers include love, peace, prosperity and protection. She sells an essential oil, a hydrosol, incense and a basket. The American Herbal Products Association says the root is not for use in pregnancy except under supervision, as set out in the safety notes.
Caution
The American Herbal Products Association says vetiver is not for use in pregnancy except under the supervision of a qualified healthcare practitioner, citing an Ayurvedic text, and that it is described as an abortifacient and used to shorten labour.
Correspondences
- Elements
- Earth, Fire
- Celestial Bodies
- Venus, Jupiter, Saturn
- Zodiac Signs
- Capricorn, Libra, Taurus
- Colours
- No colours recorded.
- Deities
- Oshun (Yoruba; also called Ochun, Oxum), Shiva (Hindu; also called Mahadeva, Siva), Yemaya (Yoruba; also called Iemanja, Yemoja), Ganesha (Hindu; also called Ganapati, Ganesh, Ganish)
Folk Names
- Khus
- Khus-Khus
- Moras
- Vetiver
- Vetivergrass
- Vetivert
Categories
- Emotions
- Family
- Hex-Breaking
- Home Blessing
- Love
- Luck
- Peace
- Prosperity
- Protection
- Secrets
- Spirituality
- Wealth
Substitutes
No substitutes recorded.
Forms
Oil
Kynes sells vetiver as an essential oil and a hydrosol, and as incense.
References
Root
Cunningham has the root burned to overcome evil spells, used in love powders, sachets and incenses, added to the bath in a sachet, and placed in the cash register to increase business. The American Herbal Products Association lists the root as the part it covers.
Caution
The American Herbal Products Association says the root is not for use in pregnancy except under supervision, and describes it as an abortifacient.
References
Notes
- Cunningham, Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical, under "Vetivert".
- Gardner and McGuffin, American Herbal Products Association's, pp. 204–205.
- Kynes, Witches' Encyclopedia of Magical, under "Vetiver".
- Wikipedia, under "Chrysopogon zizanioides."
- Kynes, Witches' Encyclopedia of Magical, under "Vetiver".
- Cunningham, Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical, under "Vetivert".
- Gardner and McGuffin, American Herbal Products Association's, pp. 204–205.
Bibliography
- Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. 2nd ed. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2012. (EPUB.)
1 6 - Gardner, Zoë, and Michael McGuffin, eds. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. 2nd ed. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2013. (PDF.)
2 7 - Kynes, Sandra. The Witches' Encyclopedia of Magical Plants: History, Folklore, Correspondences, and Spells. Woodbury, MN: Llewellyn Publications, 2024. (EPUB.)
3 5 - Wikipedia, under "Chrysopogon zizanioides." Accessed October 23, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Chrysopogon_zizanioides&oldid=1375461855. Open the Source (opens in a new tab)
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