Is Acorus calamus easy to grow? Care methods and precautions

Araceae, Acorus genus

Mud acorus, sweet flag, wild acorus, stinking acorus, mountain acorus, white acorus, sword acorus, large acorus, scientific name: Acorus calamus L.

Native to China and Japan, distributed throughout the northern temperate zone. It grows in marshes, streams or beside paddy fields.

Acorus calamus is a perennial herb. The outer skin of the rhizome is yellowish brown and aromatic, and the fleshy roots have many hair-like fibrous roots. The leaves are basal, gradually narrowing upward, sword-shaped and linear, wider at the base with opposite folds, gradually narrowing above the middle, and glossy; the midrib is noticeably raised on both the upper and lower surfaces of the leaf. The inflorescence stalk is triangular, and the leaf-like spathe is sword-shaped and linear. The flowers of Acorus calamus are yellow-green, the ovary is long cylindrical, and the berry is red and oblong. The flowering period is generally from June to September.

Acorus calamus generally grows beside water, in marshy wetlands or on floating islands in lakes. The most suitable growth temperature is 20-25°C, and growth generally stops below 10°C. It likes a warm and humid climate and damp, shady environments, is cold-tolerant and averse to drought, and in winter the underground stem burrows into the mud to overwinter,.

Acorus calamus is a commonly used aquatic plant in landscaping and has high ornamental value. Its leaf clumps are emerald green, dignified and elegant, with a light fragrance. It is suitable for planting on the banks of water features and can also be used for potted display. The leaves and inflorescences of Acorus calamus can also be used as cut flower material.

Every year during the Dragon Boat Festival, households in Jiangnan hang Acorus calamus and mugwort leaves on doors and windows and drink Acorus calamus wine, symbolizing the warding off of evil and disease; on summer and autumn nights, burning Acorus calamus and mugwort leaves can drive away mosquitoes and kill insects, and this custom continues to this day. According to records, when the ancients studied at night, they often placed a pot of Acorus calamus under the oil lamp, because Acorus calamus has the function of absorbing fine dust in the air and can spare them the suffering of lamp smoke irritating the eyes. Acorus calamus can be used to extract aromatic oil, and the fragrant rhizome can be made into spice.

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