~200 Sweet Flag (Calamus) seeds, Acorus americanus, 1 g.
Acorus americanus (Sweet Flag) grows to two ft. in height. It prefers wet, boggy soil conditions, growing best in full sun. Bloom time spans May through July.
Muskrats often eat the roots of Acorus americanus, seemingly attracted by the cinnamon-like scent. Emerging directly from the roots, the stemless leaves of Sweet Flag are sword-shaped. Green-yellow flowers protrude in cylindrical arcs in mid-summer.
Other common names include Calamus Root, Flag Root, Muskrat Root, Sweet Calomel, and Sweet Sedge.
Sweet flag was used to treat a number of illnesses by Native Americans and other early civilizations around the world, who also roasted the roots to eat as vegetables. The extract and oils from the rhizomes have been used in perfumes and potpourri and to flavor substances such as alcoholic beverages (absinthe) and tooth powders. Additionally, the oil may have antibacterial and antifungal properties. Seeds are 1 gram by weight.