Equisetum hyemale
A very interesting plant that provides a distinct textured look. Fossils of this plants ancestors have been found in the U.S. and Europe, believed to date to the Carboniferous period. These plants were gigantic, relative to today's Horsetail. These plants also contain high quantities of minerals, vitamins, salts and silicas. The silica deposits as crystals in the tissue, causing the hollow stems to become hard and gritty. This characteristic led to another name, Scouring Rush, owed to their ability to scrub pots and pans. Equisetums were once used medicinally to treat illnesses, and it was recently discovered that extracts from this plant have an enzyme that destroys thiamine. All this and it makes a great ornamental watergarden plant as well!
Native to North and Central America.
Habit/ Height: Vertical to 24"
Water depth: 0-6" over the soil
Light: Full to partial sun
Bloom: Summer
Flower color: N/A
Hardiness: Zones 3-11
Recommended container size: medium
MAY NOT ship to: CA,MT, OR, WA, WY, or UT