| Calamus | | | | away and no one knew how to cure the people. Then |
| Latin Name: Acorus calamus | | | | one night a man was visited by a muskrat in a dream. |
| Botanical Family: Araceae (arum family) | | | | The muskrat told him that he was a root and where to |
| Acorus is Latin for "aromatic plant," and calamus | | | | find him. The man awoke, sought the muskrat root, |
| means "reed." Flag comes from the Middle English | | | | made a medicine of it, and cured the people of the |
| word flagge, meaning "reed." Indeed, these highly | | | | plague. Sections of the dried root were cut up, strung |
| aromatic reeds were quite sought after in weaving | | | | together, and hung up for the preservation of nearly |
| chair seats, ropes, mats, and baskets. This is also the | | | | every house. Stan Neptune, a contemporary |
| famous "calamus root," used for pain relief in the | | | | Penobscot artist, wood carver, and historian, recalls the |
| folktale classic from the Deep South, Uncle Remus. | | | | importance of eating muskrat in winter, after the |
| Sweet flag, muskrat root, beewort, sweetgrass, sweet | | | | animals have been feeding on Calamus root and their |
| root, sweet cane, flagroot, and sweetrush are some | | | | meat tastes "like sweet medicine". |
| of the many regional names. Our native Calamus, A. | | | | Gladys Tantaquidgeon, a Mohegan medicine woman, |
| calamus, is a distinctive member of the arum family, | | | | noted that the Delaware and other Eastern |
| Araceae, which has about two thousand species | | | | Algonquians made a Calamus tea that was used to |
| worldwide that primarily live in wet regions. Its close | | | | treat coughs, colds, and suppressed menses. Calamus |
| relatives are jack-in-the-pulpit, green dragon, arrow | | | | was combined with sassafras root for intestinal pains |
| arum, golden club, and skunk cabbage in the Northeast. | | | | among the Delaware and other Eastern Algonquians. |
| When calamus is not in bloom it resembles blue flag, | | | | She described the practice of Eastern Algonquian |
| and like the latter it has been a highly valued root | | | | people carrying a piece of muskrat root as a disease |
| medicine among Eastern Woodland Indians and other | | | | preventive, to chew in case of sudden illness, and just |
| tribes throughout its broad range for a long time. | | | | to ensure good health. Gladys also recorded the |
| The arum family, Araceae, includes more than 115 | | | | muskrat root as one of eleven botanicals steeped |
| genera, and many of its species are cultivated | | | | together for a spring tonic. The Connecticut Mohegan |
| ornamentals from the tropics. The native perennial | | | | also used small pieces of calamus root to treat |
| Calamus is found in wetlands, often standing in water | | | | rheumatism and colds. From talisman to sophisticated |
| along streams and riverbanks across southern | | | | compounds, Calamus continues to be a most valued |
| Canada from James Bay to Nova Scotia, south to | | | | health aid. |
| North Carolina, and west to Texas and the Oregon | | | | The Pawnee name is kahtsha itu (medicine lying in |
| coast. Its long, sword-like leaves are pale glossy green, | | | | water), and they have songs about the calamus in |
| with a stiff midrib running the entire length. The plants | | | | their mystery ceremonies, as these plants were |
| may grow up to five feet tall. | | | | considered to have mystic powers. The long blades |
| Mature stalks may produce halfway up an | | | | were used ceremonially for garlands and attached to |
| outward-jutting club-like spadix (a fleshy cylindrical | | | | important objects to bring good luck and power. The |
| bloom structure) between May and August that bears | | | | Osage called this pexe boao'ka (flat herb), and the |
| tiny clusters of yellowish-green flowers. These ripen | | | | Omaha and Ponca called it makan-ninida; the roots |
| into small gelatinous berries that quickly dry up and | | | | were chewed to treat diabetes, especially among the |
| disappear. All plant parts are fragrant when brushed or | | | | Dakotas. Potawatomi powdered the root as a styptic. |
| bruised, especially the highly aromatic underground | | | | Calamus is found worldwide, mainly in the northern |
| rootstalks so prized in Native American medicines. | | | | latitudes, and has an ancient history of uses. The |
| The long, creeping rootstocks, with many tiny rootlets | | | | unpeeled, dried rhizome was officially listed in the U.S. |
| along their lower half, are usually dug from sand or wet | | | | Pharmacopoeia from 1820 to 1916 and in the National |
| mud, where these plants grow in dense colonies. Old | | | | Formulary from 1936 to 1950. Doctors prescribed it for |
| colonies of Calamus can take over an entire eco-niche | | | | indigestion, stomach ailments, and gas, and as a |
| in low, wet pasture or marsh areas, crowding out | | | | general tonic. |
| almost all other plants. Transplanted into the garden, it | | | | Modern uses: |
| becomes a delightful, slow-growing ornamental. | | | | Extracts and bitters made from calamus root continue |
| Traditional uses: | | | | to be taken to relieve stomach cramps and indigestion. |
| Some observers speculate that native peoples carried | | | | Calamus has long been valued as a flavouring agent |
| these valuable roots with them, establishing new | | | | and tonic, especially in aromatic bitters, and as a |
| stands of Calamus near their settlements as they | | | | stimulant and carminative. Calamus continues to be a |
| moved and traded. The plant was so valuable to | | | | very valuable addition to many American Indian healing |
| American Indians, possessing countless medicinal and | | | | formulas, ceremonies, and health care practices, and is |
| spiritual qualities, that it was a primary trade commodity. | | | | still used, alone, in essential ways of healing from tribe |
| The roots are warm, aromatic, pungent, and bitter, and | | | | to tribe. Many American Indian traditional singers carry |
| much better infused in water than in wine or spirits, as | | | | the dried root to chew on in order to improve their |
| they resist the latter. Indian children were especially | | | | singing. |
| fond of calamus root, and would chew on a small | | | | Calamus is an important component in Chinese, |
| piece, which was excellent to relieve colic, upset | | | | Ayurvedic, and Western herbalism. The rhizome, or |
| stomach, even toothaches. Calamus root was an early | | | | root, is a valued remedy for digestion and a tonic for |
| export from the colonies, being much sought after in | | | | the nervous system. It stimulates the appetite, relieves |
| England and China | | | | gas and colic, and is formulated in tinctures and |
| The Cheyenne called calamus wi'ukh is e'evo (bitter | | | | decoctions as well as powders. The aromatic qualities |
| medicine), and they traded with the Sioux to obtain the | | | | make the leaves a valuable insect repellent. |
| plant. They tied a small piece of calamus root on their | | | | Cautions: |
| children's necklaces, dresses, or blankets to keep | | | | Some Asian varieties have been labelled as unsafe |
| away the night spirits and bless their dreams. Men and | | | | because they have been associated with tumours |
| women in many different tribes wore the long leaf | | | | found in some laboratory rats. The carcinogenic agent |
| blades as garlands and to adorn their hair. The Great | | | | is considered to be asarone, a constituent in the volatile |
| Lakes tribes used calamus extensively. Small pieces of | | | | oil. Apparently this is not present in the American |
| the root were chewed and held in the mouth to numb | | | | species. |
| toothaches and other mouth problems, and to treat | | | | Growth needs and propagation: |
| stomach aches, other digestive problems, sore throats, | | | | In the wild, Calamus can form dense, intertwining mats |
| and colds Infusions of calamus root were also drunk to | | | | in shallow water. Spring or fall is a good time to dig and |
| treat these same problems. Calamus water was often | | | | gather the outer root tips, three to six inches long. |
| sprinkled on sacred items and throughout dwellings | | | | Place them about two inches deep in garden soil. The |
| while prayers for renewal were offered. | | | | young sprouts can grow rapidly, sending out many |
| The Hudson Bay Cree called calamus | | | | white hairy roots. These plants are handsome garden |
| pow-e-men-arctic meaning "fire or bitter pepper root". | | | | additions, since their foliage is striking. |
| The Penobscot and Nanticoke called it muskrat root, | | | | Companions: |
| and early in the twentieth century it was noted that | | | | Calamus grows well in the company of blue flag, |
| calamus was perhaps the most important herb in | | | | cardinal flower, goldthread, and jack-in-the-pulpit. It will |
| Penobscot pharmacology. A Penobscot legend told | | | | also grow fairly well with other moist-ground-loving |
| that a plague of sickness was sweeping the Indians | | | | herbs. |