Is Sweet Flag Poisonous to Dogs or Cats?

Sweet flag

is sweet flag (Acorus calamus) poisonous
  • Scientific Name: Acorus calamus
  • Also Known As: Sway, muskrat root
  • Is It Toxic? Yes
  • Toxins: Soluble oxalates
  • Symptoms: Rapid respirations, stupor, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, coma, hypocalcemic tetany
  • Toxic Parts:
  • General:

What Is Sweet Flag?

Sweet flag (Acorus calamus) is an ancient herbaceous plant with psychoactive chemicals that originated in India or southern China in the Himalayan region.

However, it reached Europe so early that the ancient Greeks and Romans used it both for medicinal purposes and as a spice. The leaves were particularly popular for flavouring cream or milk.

Sweet flag grows along the banks of waterways. It has large, sword-like leaves, a tapering stem and dense, spotted yellowish flowers and grows to a height of about 70 cm.

Today it is found over a wide area as an invasive plant in Europe, America and in some places in northern Asia.

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