sweet flag

American  

noun

1. a plant, Acorus calamus, of the arum family, having long, sword-shaped leaves and a pungent, aromatic rootstock.

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sweet flag British  

noun

1. Also called: calamus.  an aroid marsh plant, Acorus calamus, having swordlike leaves, small greenish flowers, and aromatic roots

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Etymology

Origin of sweet flag

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

Many species — such as black mondo grass or Japanese sweet flag grass — can survive in cold weather, but they typically can’t withstand the weight of snow, according to Prinzing.

From Washington Post • Sep. 20, 2022

The lake was layered with sweet flag, sedge, lilies, horehound, bulrush and buckbean.

From New York Times • Oct. 21, 2016

Well, Grandpa Wibblewobble gave each of the Wibblewobble children some nice sugared corn meal, flavored with sweet flag, peppermint and watercress, and a few snails to eat, and maybe they didn't like them!

From Lulu, Alice and Jimmie Wibblewobble by Garis, Howard Roger

She plunged into a swampy hollow where clusters of tall catstail, sweet flag and sedgy rushes grew around a little pond, swarming with trout and gold fish.

From A Noble Woman by Stephens, Ann S. (Ann Sophia)

A few minutes later she returned with two clumps of sweet flag blades from the brookside, placed one in each of the small vases, and stood them on the twin mantels, beneath the Japanese prints.

From The Idyl of Twin Fires by Eaton, Walter Prichard