Acorus calamus
Sweet flag
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The Acorus calamus plant species is found in Europe, Asia and N. America. Naturalized in Britain[17]. It is a member of the Araceae family. Common gardeners may know the plant as Sweet flag.

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Latin Name:  Acorus calamus
Common Name:  Sweet flag
Family:  Araceae
Author:  L.
 
Known Hazards:  The fresh root can be poisonous[7]. When using the plant medicinally, the isolated essential oil should not be used[165]. The essential oil in the roots of some populations of this plant contains the compound asarone. This has tranquilising and antibiotic activity, but is also potentially toxic and carcinogenic[218, 238]. It seems that these compounds are found in the triploid form of the species (found in Asia) whilst the diploid form (found in N. America and Siberia) is free of the compounds[218, 238]. However, the root (but not the isolated essential oil) has been used in India for thousands of years without reports of cancer which suggests that using the whole herb is completely safe, though more research is needed[254].
 
Mature Height:  1   Mature Width:  1
 
Habitat:  Found in moist soils and shallow water in ditches, marshes, river edges and ponds[1, 100, 187, 244].

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Cultivation | Propagation | General Uses
Medicinal | Edible Uses
 

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