Variegated Sweet Flag is a non-flowering, marginal aquatic perennial, clump-forming rush or sedge in the acorus family, native to Central Asia. Erect, flat iris-like, narrow leaves emerge directly from rootstock. The plant spreads slowly by branching, creeping rhizomes and the leaves and rhizomes are sweetly scented when crushed, hence the common name. Stripes that give the leaves a variegated appearance can be cream white to yellow. Variegated Sweet Flag is best grown in full sun or partial shade in moist to wet soil that is high in organic matter, but it will grow in soil with average moisture. It appreciates afternoon shade, especially in hot southern summers. It will also do well in shallow standing water up to 9 inches deep or in a wide mouth pot. Like its parent, it will spread by means of rhizomes, but it does not grow as rapidly as the species. Divide every few years to prevent congestion. Because of its attractive foliage, Variegated Sweet Flag is often used as an accent plant in moist to wet sites or in standing water. To grow in a water gardens, plant rhizomes slightly below the soil surface in moist soils at the water’s edge or in containers set in shallow water. It also makes a useful aquarium plant, but is short-lived where water temperatures exceed 71 degrees F for long periods. Insects, Diseases, and Other Plant Problems : No serious problems. Leaf scorch can occur if soils are not kept consistently moist. More information on Acorus calamus .
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt)
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Frequent Standing Water | Occasionally Wet
Available space
Less than 12 inches
NC region
Mountains; Piedmont
Mature size
Height: 2 ft. 0 in. - 4 ft. 0 in. | Width: 1 ft. 0 in. - 2 ft. 0 in.
Growth rate
Slow
Maintenance
Low
Canopy layer
4 - Herbaceous (3-15 ft)
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Clumping; Erect; Spreading
Foliage
Deciduous
Leaf color
Cream/Tan; Gold/Yellow; Green; White
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Lanceolate; Linear
Leaf value
Fragrant; Showy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, < 1 inch wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Flat iris-like leaves; spreads slowly by branching, creeping rhizomes. This plant has creamy white or yellow stripes on sword-like leaves. Leaves are 3/4 of an inch wide growing in basal clumps and reaching more than 30 inches tall. One margin of the leaf is wavy and it has a prominent mid-rib. Sweet fragrance when bruised.
Flower color
Brown/Copper; Cream/Tan
Flower value
Fragrant
Flower form
Insignificant; Spadix
Flower size
3-6 inches
Flower detail
Not showy (grown for foliage); sweetly fragrant flowers when crushed; 2 to 4 inch elongated spandixes, or spikes.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Berry
Fruit detail
Variegated Sweet Flag is a sterile polyploid species and does not produce any fruit with fertile seeds.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Non-native
Origin
Central Asia
Distribution
Europe, Canada and United States from Nova Scotia south to Georgia, west to the Mississippi, California and Washington state.