Template:Chapter 1.8
1.8 - Sweet flag
Mitchell Anderson, University of Guelph, Canada
Suggested citation for this chapter.
Anderson,M. (2022) Labrador tea. In The Student Encyclopedia of Canadian Indigenous Foods. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.firstnationsfoods.org/
Introduction
Sweet flag, or Acorus calamus , has been a plant used by Indigenous peoples for a very long time. Through generations, their knowledge of the benefits of the plant have been passed down. The root of the plant gets mashed up and put into tea and soups. The roots contain most of the nutrients. The Indigenous also eat the young leaves as they have medicinal benefits to women (Traditional Plant Foods of Canadian Indigenous Peoples, 2015).
General Overview of Sweet flag
Sweet flag is a wetland plant that shares many of the same characteristics as cattails and blue rag iris. A fact is that the sweet flag is one of the oldest standing lines of the monocot. This plant can be found in North American wetlands, India, and Indonesia. Sweet Flag is native to North America (Encyclopædia Britannica , 2020). Most of the time, Sweet Flag root is consumed through teas and soups, but sometimes it is roasted like asparagus. Additionally, the leaves can go into soups and teas (The ayurvedic properties and benefits of Sweetflag / Vacha,year? ). It is harvested similarity to wild blueberries.
Benefits
Sweet Flag has been known to repel bugs and help with headlice (reference?). For this purpose, the heads of the plants are used, as they have a slime like substance that can be rubbed into the needed area. It can also help with colic children, which will help kids stop crying all day long. For women, it can be used to relieve menstrual cramps and headaches (Acorus calamus (PROSEA)) and (The ayurvedic properties and benefits of Sweetflag / Vacha). Sweet Flag does not hold great societal contribution as it is a mainly Indigenous used plant. Again, the environment where is grows is muddy shores, lining creeks and wetlands. It is generally easy to grow and maintain, but drought years are the plant's biggest threat (U.S. Forest Service, year?). Typically in a Wetland, moisture will pool in the same area. Once a desirable spot is established, it requires a few adaptations. This includes clearing any unwanted brush, and making paths for planting and harvesting
Limitations
The sweet flag contains an essential oil (oil of calamus) which has been tied back to tumour growth within laboratory rats (Traditional Plant Foods of Canadian Indigenous Peoples, year?). That is something to be aware of when consuming anything that contains sweet flag. Just like anything, everything needs to be taken in moderation to be safe . The benefit of sweet flag outweighs the risk for most people. It would take a large quantity in a short amount of time to see tumour growth from the sweet flag. The difficulty that comes with cultivating sweet flag is the wet conditions it grows in. If too wet, it can cause an abundance of problems as it is difficult to see the roots and rhizomes . Sweet flag is a fair-producing plant; for every hectare, the sweet flag root can produce 10-12 tonnes per hectare (Hindawi, (n.d.)). This allows for very easy growing conditions if there isn’t a drought year (U.S. Forest Service.). Since drought can be a concern, automation where the water supply can be controlled would be an asset and could keep profits coming every year and keep the flow of sweet flag production steady.
Description
The main use of sweet flag is for consumption. It is consumed through teas and cups. The limit is that a lot of preparation is required before any nutrients can be consumed. It is quite a versatile plant and serves many ways to consume it.The plant must be broken down and prepared properly to get the most benefits.
History and Culture
Historically, sweet flag has first been spoken about in the Bible. It was mentioned when Moses was told by God to make holy oil. As time went on and the world developed, Europe realized it was useful during medieval times. Fragrance from the leaves was applied to the floors of churches, castles, and cottages to cover odours and repel insects. Insects are pests and for a plant to have an insect repellent within it is a huge asset . It was also used in the past by Indigenous people. During seasons of bugs, the sweet flag was a very effective bug repellent. Additionally, people used the leaves from the sweet flag as holiday decorations. Culturally, there is a wide variance of cultures that found uses for sweet flag. Many Indigenous tribes used the sweet flag extensively for many purposes. Those purposes include medicinally, energy, and nutritionally. The medical benefits pertain to colic, which is a condition found in young children when they won’t stop crying. Sweet flag calms the baby down to a point where they stop screaming and typically fall asleep Indigenous people were known to chew on the rhizome root of the sweet flag when they needed the energy to help stay awake. The nutrients extracted from the rhizomes and the leaves are full of vitamins and minerals that are beneficial to any living organism (The ethnobotany of Sweet Flag, year?). Having enough energy to stay awake to protect your family r when hunting is very important. All those reasons show how versatile Sweet flag is the most important being the medicinal contribution it has.
References
1.What is sweet flag?- Acorus calamus. (2022, September 12). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acorus_calamus
2.U.S. Forest Service. Forest Service Shield. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://www.fs.usda.gov/wildflowers/plant-of-the-week/acorus_americanus.shtml
3.Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.). Sweet Flag. Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved September 21, 2022, from https://www.britannica.com/plant/sweet-flag
4.Sweet flag - USDA. (n.d.). Retrieved September 26, 2022, from https://www.nrcs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_PLANTMATERIALS/publications/mipmcfs3081.pdf
5.The ayurvedic properties and benefits of Sweetflag / Vacha ... - krya. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://krya.in/2017/09/ayurvedic-benefits-sweetflag-vacha/
6.The ayurvedic properties and benefits of Sweetflag / Vacha ... - krya. (n.d.). Retrieved September 20, 2022, from https://krya.in/2017/09/ayurvedic-benefits-sweetflag-vacha/