Skip to content
Calamus (Acorus calamus)
Materia Medica
Family: Acoraceae
Botanical name: Acorus calamus L.
Common names: Calamus, Sweet Flag, Sweet Sedge, Myrtle Flag
Parts used: Rhizome
Growth habit: Perennial wetland plant
Primary traditions: European, Ayurvedic, and Traditional Chinese herbalism
Botanical Description
Acorus calamus is a perennial wetland plant with long, sword-like leaves and a distinctive lateral spadix. It grows in shallow water and marshy ground. The rhizome is aromatic and is the traditional medicinal part.
Traditional Indications
Traditional records describe the rhizome for digestive discomfort, as an aromatic bitter, and in various regional formulas. It has a long history in European, Ayurvedic, and Chinese systems.