Acorus calamus 100 gram (sweet flag)

Acorus calamus 100 grams: dried sweet flag root

Sweet flag grows along rivers and in marshy ground, and above the water line it looks much like reed. What you find in this bag is the rhizome, the underground part that is dried after harvest and cut into small pieces. The plant originates in South Asia and was introduced to Europe in the sixteenth century by the botanist Carolus Clusius, after which it earned a fixed spot in the herb garden.

The aroma is spicy and the taste distinctly bitter, which comes from the essential oils and bitter compounds in the root. In the kitchen, dried sweet flag once served as a spice and stood in for ginger, nutmeg or cinnamon. The plant is also known by the name stomach root, a nod to the way it has traditionally been used.

Traditional use

The best known habit is chewing on a piece of root, which leaves a fresh taste in the mouth. Tea is common as well: let a few teaspoons of sweet flag steep in hot water for a while. If you work with a vaporizer, the usual recommendation is a temperature of roughly 150 to 175 degrees Celsius. In herbal blends, sweet flag is often combined with guarana and kola nut.

Good to know

Use sweet flag in moderation and never combine it with MAO inhibitors. Store the bag cool, dry and dark to keep the aroma and taste intact for as long as possible, and keep it out of reach of children.

At Avalon Magic Plants you will find guarana, kola nut, ginseng, ginkgo biloba and yerba maté in the same category. All herbs are shipped in discreet packaging.