Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' (Variegated Sweet Flag)

Acorus gramineus 'Ogon,' is a cultivar of Japanese sweet flag, a fragrant, semi-evergreen ornamental grass native to Asia. Also known as golden variegated sweet flag, the 'Ogon' cultivar differs from cultivar 'Variegatus' in the color of its variegation, taking on a golden yellow hue in contrast with its green foliage as opposed to the cream-white variegation present in 'Variegatus.' Japanese sweet flag is also not to be confused with the North American native, Acorus americanus, which is not an introduced species and which is typically a bit larger. 

Although Acorus gramineus 'Ogon' produces flowers from spring to early summer on small, sedge-like spikes, its true flowers are insignificant and unremarkable. The real draw for 'Ogon' is the additional splash of color that comes from the cultivar's natural variegation, as well as the plant's fragrant foliage and its low-maintenance cultivation habits. Tolerance to wet soils and inundation, as well as its slow-spreading behavior, makes this sweet flag a suitable ornamental ground cover for wet sites without posing the risk of becoming noxious or invasive, and a compact size of 6-12" tall and wide also makes it well suited for container plantings and smaller ponds.