Equisetum
Horsetail, Scouring rush
- Height × spread
- 1.5m – 1.5m × 2m – 2m
- Position
- Full sun
Availability
Please ask in store about availability
Many plants are seasonal. Call 01234 567890 to check current stock.
About this plant
The horsetails are now considered to be ferns, though they are not at all fern like in their appearance, nor indeed their invasive ways. It is recommended that some forms are confined to containers - as one would contain garden mints. The common horsetail (Equisetum arvense) pleases with its feathery whorls of foliage and stands around 60cm high, often half that. On a larger scale the giant horsetail (Equisetum telmateia) reaches a height of 1.5 metres. Finally the tender, bog loving Equisetum myriochaetum is said to reach 8 metres with some structural support.
- Foliage colour
- Green
- Variegated
- No
- Scent
- No
- Shape
- Column
- Height
- 1.5m – 1.5m
- Spread
- 2m – 2m
- Evergreen
- Evergreen
- Garden style
- Wild flower meadow, Water garden, Gravel garden
- Sun or shade
- Likes full sun, likes part shade, likes light shade
- Soil type
- All types
- Soil pH
- All types
- Drainage
- Moisture retentive soil, Damp and wet soil
- Winter hardiness
- Varies, most are hardy
- Borders & containers
- Borders
- Use for
- Ground cover
- Hazards
- No
Spring
Spring-Autumn · Outdoors
Water until well established
Until well established, plants in the ground should be watered deeply at regular intervals after a dry period. This is likely to be 1 and 2 weeks without rain. Check plants in pots more frequently, especially in hot weather.
Spring - early-mid · Planting
Divide when too large
The plant can be divided if it becomes too large or another plant is required. This may involve physically dividing the clump in two, removing offsets or small bulbs or dividing rhizomes. The new plants can be grown in pots or planted in the ground.