Description of Acorus calamus 'Argenteostriatus' (Silver-striped Sweet Flag)

Acorus calamus 'Argenteostriatus' is a variegated sweet flag with narrow leaves striped cream and green. It’s grown for foliage, not flowers, and it gives you a clean, grassy look at the pond edge.

Appearance

Leaves are upright and sword-like, often 60 to 75cm tall. The clump slowly spreads by rhizomes, so it thickens over time rather than popping up all over the place.

If you crush a leaf you may notice a scent, which is where the common name sweet flag comes from.

Care Guide

It likes wet soil and it also copes in shallow water.

• Sun: Full sun to part shade. Colour is usually best with decent light.
• Soil: Wet, fertile soil or aquatic compost in a basket.
• Water depth: Boggy ground up to roughly 20cm of water over the soil line.
• Tidy up: Comb out old leaves in late winter and remove any brown tips.
• Division: Split clumps in spring if they get congested.

In baskets, top the compost with gravel so the rhizomes stay anchored.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This is a handy bog plant when you need year-round structure and a bright stripe through green planting. Use it to edge the wettest zone, or to break up blocks of plain foliage.

It’s also useful near paths because the leaves stay upright and don’t flop across walking space. In a small bog, one clump is often enough. In a bigger bed, repeat it every metre or so for rhythm.

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