Equisetum arvense Field Horsetail

The most common horsetail in the British Flora and one familiar to most people. Jointed stems arise from a long rhizome, the fertile ones unbranched and up to 30cm high with cones at the tip. The sterile, vegetative stems are taller, up to 80cm, with dense whorls of branches. Stems have 6-20 ridges and a central hollow which is much less than half the width of the stem. It grows in lots of different habitats including grassy verges, waste places and dune slacks, which may be wet or dry, exposed or shaded, and it can be a pernicious weed in cultivated grounds. Like other horsetails it contains significant amounts of silica in its tissues, which can be as much as 25% of tthe dry weight of the plants. This contributes to the rough, scouring texture of these plants and gives them structural support. It may also protect them against herbivores.

Native