Field Horsetail
Equisetum arvense
- Native to:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Aleutian Is., Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Corse, Cyprus, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Korea, Kriti, Krym, Kuril Is., Labrador, Nepal, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Pakistan, Poland, Portugal, Prince Edward I., Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan
iNaturalist: © kiramarch (iNaturalist #48116091)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Equisetophyta | - Horsetails
- Family:
- Equisetaceae
- Genus:
- Equisetum
- Species:
- Equisetum arvense
- USDA Symbol:
- EQAR
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 60 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Ground Cover:
- Yes
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- waterfowl
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from deep rhizomes after fire; rhizomes can survive at considerable soil depths.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, nutrient-poor sandy or clay soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 7.5 (acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- often found in disturbed areas and along streams
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Reproduces primarily by spores and rhizomes; spores are short-lived and require moist conditions to germinate.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI