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Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' (Yellow-leaved Calamus) - Grass-like perennial with thin iris-like arching foliage that has a rich yellow variegation. Grows to 6-12 inches tall and spreads slowly by rhizomes. Tiny, insignificant, yellow-green flowers bloom from spring to early summer on lateral, sedge-like flower spikes but are hardly noticeable.
Plant in full sun to light shade in soil that is moist or regularly irrigated. In a pond the water depth should be right at the soil line or up to 2 to 4 inches above crown. It is cold hardy to USDA Zone 5 (-10°F). A useful plant massed as a small-scale groundcover or as an accent container plant or to light up a dark area of the pond.
The species Acorus gramineus, commonly called grassy-leaved sweet flag, is native to wetland areas of China, Japan, Korea, India, Thailand, Myanmar and the Philippines. The name for the genus was one that Theophrastus, the Greek considered to be the "father of botany", used for a plant with an aromatic rhizome. The specific epithet comes from the Latin word meaning "grass". The rich yellow foliage distinguishes this 'Ogon' variety from the cultivar 'Variegatus', which is green with thin cream stripes, often along one leaf margin. We also grow an all yellow selection made from this variety called Acorus gramineus 'Golden Lion'
The genus Acorus is considered to be one of the most primitive of the monocots still in existence. Historically it was recognized as an aberrant genus within the arum family (Araceae), which includes such plants as calla lily and Taro, but much evidence, including the absence of a spathe common to aroids, supports its treatment as a separate family and it is now placed in its own family, the Acoraceae. We have grown this nice plant since 1991 and have a large specimen growing in one of the nursery's water gardens.
This information about Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' displayed is based on research conducted in our horticultural library and from reliable online resources. We also will relate observations made about it as it grows in our nursery gardens and other gardens we have visited, as well how the crops have performed in containers in our nursery field. We will also incorporate comments that we receive from others and we welcome hearing from anyone with additional information, particularly if they can share any cultural information that would aid others in growing it.
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