Sweet Flag

About Sweet Flag

The rhizomes have a spicy-citrus flavor and were once used as a substitute for ginger, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It was an important ingredient in medieval European cooking before falling out of use. It contains beta-asarone, which is potentially carcinogenic - European varieties have less than Asian. It was used to flavor beer and liqueurs. It grows in wet soil and shallow water. The leaves are sword-shaped and aromatic when crushed. It has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for 3,000+ years. It was traditionally strewn on floors for its fragrance. Native Americans used it extensively.