Acorus americanus, the American sweet flag, is a wetland plant native to the northern United States and Canada. This perennial plant has bright green blade-shaped leaves. The foliage has a citrus-like spicy aromatic quality, and can be used to flavor beer. It is a flowering plant with inconspicuous flowers that are arranged on a lateral spadix (a thickened, fleshy axis) and the fertilized flowers produce berries with a jelly inside. This plant is protected as a state endangered species in Pennsylvania.

This plant was used extensively by Native Americans and early European settlers.

The species name, "americanus" simply indicates that this is an American species of this genus, differentiating it from the very similar European and western Asian species Acorus calamus. Acorus americanus was formerly classified as Acorus calamus var. americanus. It differs only in being a fertile diploid (2n = 24)], whereas most of the A. calamus of Europe and Asia is a sterile triploid species, that only spreads asexually.

Type: Hardy perennial

Hardiness zones: 3-6

Height: 18", 45cm

Location: Sun

Seeds per packet: 10