Acorus calamus Variegatus is a variegated form of Eurasian Sweet Flag native to Central Asia, grown as a marginal aquatic perennial in the acorus family. The sword-shaped leaves emerge striped in cream and green with pink-tinged bases in spring — the variegation cleanest in spring and early summer before softening slightly as the season progresses. Growing 2 to 4 feet in zones 4 to 10, it spreads by rhizome at a moderate pace suited to ornamental use rather than colonization.

The leaves are aromatic when crushed, sharing the complex cinnamon-ginger-iris fragrance of the parent. It controls erosion effectively along waterways. Plant in shallow standing water or consistently moist ground at the pond margin or in the rain garden, where the cream-striped leaves provide light and contrast against darker aquatic plants and the water surface. This is one of the more reliably ornamental variegated aquatic plants available for temperate gardens.