Is sweet flag and cat tails the same thing???

not around here.

No. Calamus "sweet flag" is a similar looking plant to that of the cattail. But not the same. Both are delicacies of the muskrat, nutria and beaver at times.

Glen,

Do a Google search for images of :
Acorus calamus

Not in my part of the world.
Later,
45/70,

does anyone know where I can get some of the roots

Glen - Look in wet meadows and the edges of shallow marshes. These plants look kind of like short cattails. Break off a leaf and it will smell fragrant. Here's a link to a web site with more info.

http://www.rook.org/earl/bwca/nature/aquatics/acorus.html