Equisetum Species, Canuela, Dutch Rush, Horsetail, Rough Horsetail, Scouring Rush, Snake Grass

On Oct 11, 2020, careysub from Rancho Cucamonga, CA wrote:

Also negative, but then positive again.

I like the horsetails. They are fascinating ancient plants, look ancient, and are easy to grow being quite tough. Striking appearance. Excellent container plant.

But do not put them in the ground, except perhaps if you live in a true desert where escape is impossible. Everything everyone says about their invasiveness is absolutely true, and only zero contact between soil and plant can prevent an outbreak. Even if you use a sealed container and place it in the ground, once must be certain that rhizomes cannot escape over the rim, and that the container can never crack.

But horsetail invasion can be stopped dead, permanently and it really is not that difficult.

It requires three sprays of the... read more herbicide MCPA, using the max listed concentration. It should be sprayed on well emerged or fully developed reeds. After the first spraying the reeds will yellow, die back and perhaps appear dormant, but will grow back but with much sparser weaker growth. Let the reed get at least 12" high before spraying again. There may be some weak regrowth after this, but spraying in the same fashion will knock it out. This takes four to six months - so three sprays separated by a couple of months will do it.

I completely rid my yard of massive horsetail invasion thos way, gone forever (they had escaped from a cracked pot in the ground, BTW).

They are back, but in above ground containers.

On Apr 13, 2018, Kathollis from Atlanta, GA wrote:

INVASIVE!! Will travel several feet under patios and volunteer on other side of yard. I love how it looks but should only be planted in concrete planter without holes.

I have to continually weed my neighbors yard. I'm so humiliated about it!

On Apr 11, 2016, Candre from Aberdeen, WA (Zone 9a) wrote:

No one plants horsetail here because it's already everywhere. Four years ago when I moved here, the local Master Gardeners told me this. They weren't exaggerating, I pull it out every day and still can't keep up.

I find it structurally fascinating and complementary with only some of my garden but regardless of my opinions, it just comes up EVERYWHERE!!! I get both the fertile and sterile stalks which are visually quite nice. Too bad it's so intrusive.

On Oct 31, 2015, coriaceous from ROSLINDALE, MA wrote:

A vicious and ineradicable weed here that spreads aggressively both by spores and by very deep underground rhizomes. It cannot be contained by root barriers. It enjoys wet soils but unfortunately it grows very well in ordinary garden conditions.

This toxic plant can kill livestock that graze on it.

It is highly resistant to herbicides, which have a hard time penetrating the waxy cuticle.

It is considered a high-priority, ecologically invasive exotic plant in South Africa, Australia, and Madagascar. Native to N. America and Eurasia.

On Mar 5, 2012, renfox from Upland, CA wrote:

I obtained this plant, specifically Equisetum hyemale, after hearing about its medicinal uses. The fresh stems can be broken off and dried or eaten fresh, providing a much needed source of nutrients for tooth enamel development. I planted it in a long flower box/pot. You use a coffee grinder to make a powder of the stems and mix a tsp in half a glass of water, seven days in a row out of a thirty day stretch. I no longer have sensitive teeth to hot or cold and my teeth feel smoother so I don't think it's non-sense.

On Jul 21, 2011, MsBusyBee from Anchorage, AK wrote:

This plant is considered a weed in southcentral Alaska. It's everywhere, and every gardener I know fights an ongoing battle with it. It is not unattractive so I leave it alone in areas for which I have no other plans. When it pops up in an unwanted place, I pull it up and it usually stays gone until the next growing season.

On Jul 19, 2011, Village_idiot from Alberta, AB (Zone 3a) wrote:

I have heard nothing good about this plant from anyone with the experience of trying to get rid of it.

I notice that in the article it has no negatives mentioned about it.

The main horizontal root can be 2-3' deep. This reason alone makes it almost impossible to rid your garden of this pernicious weed.

My advice; don't even think about planting it.

Of course, it's said to look very attractive next to Kudzu and Bishop's Gout-Weed!

On Jul 18, 2011, patzpenny from Corona, CA wrote:

This plant has invaded my yard from my neighbor. I too thought it was bamboo. I have a 20 ft.long raised garden bed along my fence and the plant is coming up all over the place. All we can do is keep breaking it off but we can't keep up with the growth. It is an absolute nightmare. No matter what we plant it just pushes right through and pops up all over the place. It is even starting to grow through the horizontal wood slats in the fence and will eventually destroy the fence. The neighbors take no responsibility. They have a pool and no lawn so it is contained along their fence and can't go anywhere... except next door. If anyone finds a solution, please let us know what we can do.

On Jul 18, 2011, StrawberryRose from Fairview Heights, IL wrote:

I think this plant is growing in my yard. I thought it was bamboo. Now that I've seen a picture of it I think it is this Rough Horsetail. It is thin and bamboo like but it has the same tops as in the picture. So far the plants are about 3 to 4 feet tall and slender. The area where I found it is nearly always damp. My husband says we have an underground spring in this area. We have had a lot of rain so far this year.

I want to kill it, but it sounds impossible. It is growing in the shade and spreading. I don't know where it came from. I thought birds brought it in. Any suggestions on how to kill it. Even if it is bamboo I still want to get rid of it. I have enough envasive weeds to deal with.

I notice it was reported in Collinsville, IL that is 3... read more miles from us.

On Jul 18, 2011, hgausbrooks from Arlington, TX wrote:

I teach college biology and the Toxicodendron( horsetail) is such a good example of a primitive, vascular plant. Students are amazed to think that this plant's ancestors lived when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. I always get my cuttings for illustration from the water garden landscaping at a McDonald's restaurant in Grand Prairie, Texas. It seems to do quite well through our frigid winters and our toasty summers.

On Jul 18, 2011, Kohleria from Bremerton, WA wrote:

Here in Western Washington this is identified as an invasive weed. It is prodigious and impossible to get rid of once in the landscape. We go on horsetail patrol around the garden regularly to remove it. I don't know of anyone who would choose to plant it.

On Jul 18, 2011, florafavours from Elkhorn, WI wrote:

I loved this plant but seeing it growing in a limestone quarry should have warned me. I brought it into my garden over 30 years ago and, although very interesting in appearance, it has been impossible to kill (even strong round-up solution put in the hollow stems only eliminated that 1 stem). Average soil with average moisture is more than enough to keep it spreading.Perhaps a so9lid metal or stone pot could contain it,

On Jul 18, 2011, blossomfarm from Columbia Station, OH (Zone 5b) wrote:

Do not plant this plant....period!
The more you try to kill it ----- the more it takes over since round-up kills everything around it giving no competition. Does anyone know how to kill this devil's weed? Thank you.

On Feb 27, 2011, sweetlilylin from Woodhaven, NY wrote:

I've had this plant in my garden for 3 years now, planted against my deck. It is in part sun (afternoon sun) and gets plenty of moisture. It is spreading nicely and quick as I want it to, but my complaint is, that it does not always grow up straight. And after the winter, it is lying completely horizontal to the ground. We had a bad winter of lots of snow, so I'm sure that's what happened to it. I tried to gently straighten it out, but that doesn't work so well. Should it be cut back in the spring? or will it straighten itself out on its own? Hope someone can help me out.

On Apr 25, 2009, rntx22 from Puyallup, WA (Zone 8b) wrote:

These plants are very attractive and a nice addition to a water garden/bog. I have it in a pot that is sunken in the pond. This has kept it contained and I have not had any problems with invasiveness this way.

On Nov 5, 2008, BLOSSOMBUDDY from Watseka, IL (Zone 5a) wrote:

I have rated this plant a negative due to it is toxic if consumed by humans or livestock. As well as it can be invasive.

It grows wild in my area. My land is a sand prairie sand pond environment. It is sporatic in my garden at this time, but is slowly taking foot here.

While it is an interesting specimen and quite excellent for floral arranging, I am curious as to the best way to dry the reeds to maintain their best green color for florals! Seems mine turn brown.

I have seen this "weed" take over large areas where it will not allow other plants to grow. They seem to grow on
inclines near ravens and appear to be very good at errosion control which can be a plus if nothing else will grow as well as in the "boggy" lands. But would I s... read morepecifically plant it for that purpose, no as there are better choices. In masse it is not a very "pretty" plant.

It is considered a biblical plant. Used for scouring metal or "sanding" wood.

On Mar 18, 2008, peachespickett from Huntington, AR wrote:

Planted this near our creek in Western Arkansas. In three years has spread only a foot or two, probably due to being flooded, then being dry, then being flooded and covered by six inches of river-gravel, then being dry, and so on and so on. I find it to be a charming green spot along the creek in winter, and well-behaved so far.

On Aug 8, 2007, nwanettech from Rogers, AR wrote:

My horsehair rush is great. I have at the top of my pod in my wier and it has grown all summer long. My water is no more than 14 inches deep. Behind it I have some elephant ears that have pushed some reeds over to lay flat. Those limbs are now growing new sprouts upward.....it looks very nice and very natural and best of all seems very heat tolerant.
Mine is partial shade and partial sun.

On Feb 17, 2007, Cretaceous from El Sobrante, CA (Zone 9b) wrote:

Equisetum hyemale does well here in zone 9b, where it is planted against the wall of our house amoung some larger ferns. Needs to be contained, otherwise once established it will spread. Can get fairly high (6 feet +).

Native to North America, South America (El Salvador, Guatemala), Europe, and Asia.

Sometimes seen in nurseries locally.

On Aug 2, 2006, feyven from Salisbury, VT wrote:

I frist saw Horsetail in the San Joaquin Valley in California. I was attracted by its "prehistoric" look (and origin) and the intersting history of use as a scrubbing utensil and furnature polising.

After I moved to Vermont, I discovered a stand of it in a drainage ditch near Burlington. I dug up a small clump and planted it in my garden (in a container in the ground to prevent the invasive spread and to provide it with more moisture). Later, I found a smaller version (Dwarf Horsetail - Equisetum scirpoides) and added that to my landscape as well.

Both have "behaved" themselves and provide an interesting focal point in the garden. I get a lot of compliements on them and many questions.

On Jul 1, 2005, MotherNature4 from Bartow, FL (Zone 9a) wrote:

I don't find it invasive in my yard, but I don't live near a pond. I do enjoy using it in floral designs because it is possible to run a wire through the stem and bend or fold with accuracy. It may also used in natural arrangements.

I also like it because it is somewhat of an oddity, being a "fern ally," it is botanically one of the non-flowering plants.

On Sep 2, 2003, vendla wrote:

Horse Tail grows all over near the river by my house. I have found an old pagen recipe that says that if you make a tea out of it, strain VERY WELL, and cool, you can use it as an eye wash to help cure symptoms of pink eye!

On Sep 5, 2002, ADKSpirit from Elkton, MD (Zone 7a) wrote:

Bulrush is a vigorous pond rush, that grows well in sun or shade, and is hardy throughout most of the country. It can quickly outgrow it's pot if the conditions are right. Its nice to use to add height to a pond or patio tub. In garden centers it's also referred to as Dutch Rush and Horsetails. Set it's pot at or slightly above the water line. It can also be grown in boggy areas.