Horsetail Equisetum arvense
Other Common Name(s):
Other plants called Horsetail:
- Phonetic Spelling
- ek-wis-SEE-tum ar-VEN-see
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Field Horsetail is a native annual found along streambanks, roadsides, and disturbed areas. It has two types of stems, both sterile and reproductive. The reproductive stems appear in spring with brown scale leaves and a long spore cone. These stems wither away as the sterile stems emerge. It reproduces via spores that are found on the reproductive stems.
It has been used as a remedy for a variety of ailments by Native Americans, ancient Roman, and Chinese physicians. In current times, it is used as an herbal remedy.
Insects, Diseases and Other Plant Problems: Due to the growth habit of Common Horsetail, sending deep rhizomes into the soil, it can be a difficult plant to eliminate. The rhizomes can reach 6' in length.
It is considered a weed in many areas where crops are grown. It may be necessary to perform a deep plowing annually in an attempt to prevent rhizomes from spreading.
VIDEO Created by NC State Extension's Homegrown series featuring Mark Weathington, Director of JC Raulston Arboretum.
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Equisetum
- Species:
- arvense
- Family:
- Equisetaceae
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Temperate Northern Hemisphere
- Wildlife Value:
- Food source for waterfowl and mammals such as grizzly bears.
- Play Value:
- Wildlife Food Source
- Particularly Resistant To (Insects/Diseases/Other Problems):
- Heavy shade, Deer
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Annual
- Fern
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Deep shade (Less than 2 hours to no direct sunlight)
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Drainage:
- Moist
- Occasionally Dry
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
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Fruit:
- Fruit Description:
- No fruits. This plants reproduces via spores.
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Flowers:
- Flower Description:
- No flowers.
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Leaves:
- Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics:
- Deciduous
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Fronds
- Hairs Present:
- No
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Stem:
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Riparian
- Landscape Theme:
- Native Garden
- Shade Garden
- Attracts:
- Small Mammals
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Deer
- Heavy Shade
- Wet Soil
- Problems:
- Problem for Horses
