Acorus gramineus Licorice

Acorus gramineus 'Licorice' is a variety of Japanese Sweet Flag that is particularly fragrant, used in Asian cuisine or to flavour all kinds of drinks and desserts. This not very hardy perennial plant, resembling a grass, forms a clump of fine, shiny leaves of a bright green colour that is full of character. The foliage has a surprising anise scent with a hint of licorice, while the root can be used as a substitute for ginger. An ornamental, culinary, and medicinal plant, ideal for decorating small ponds, water edges, waterfalls, and streams!

Acorus gramineus 'Licorice' is a plant of the Acoraceae family. Its wild ancestor is native to Japan, Korea, and eastern Asia. From the weakly creeping stump emerge leaves resembling those of the iris, but narrower, leathery, thick, shiny, of a beautiful light green colour. It is aromatic when crushed and releases a rather aniseed aroma with a touch of liquorice. The rhizomes, used in traditional Japanese medicine, are also fragrant: their smell reminds more clearly of liquorice. This slow-growing perennial plant is not invasive. At maturity, it will form a clump of 30-40cm (12-16in) in all directions. The greenish flowers are almost invisible, they are gathered in a small short spadix and appear at the beginning of summer. The hardiness of this variety is estimated at -8/-10 °C, according to some sources.

This 'Licorice' Japanese Sweet Flag forms a large clump in a few years, which goes perfectly with Japanese irises, Asian primroses or willows on the edges of a pond. Similarly, you can also plant it in a trough or in a garden with particularly heavy and moist soil.

We have planted a variegated variety of Acorus gramineus in one of our ponds where its semi-evergreen foliage is very useful, as it must be admitted that most bankside plants disappear in winter. Acorus gramineus is known to be not very hardy, but it has been outside for over 20 years and does not suffer from the cold. In regions with cold winters it will be preferable to overwinter it in a cold greenhouse or in a well-ventilated and bright location, protected from frost, while keeping the soil always moist.