Scouringrush Horsetail
Equisetum hyemale
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Baltic States, Bangladesh, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Korea, Kriti, Krym, Kuril Is., Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Romania, Russia, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, United States, Uzbekistan
iNaturalist: © rozhelfand (iNaturalist #4472467)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Equisetophyta | - Horsetails
- Family:
- Equisetaceae
- Genus:
- Equisetum
- Species:
- Equisetum hyemale
- USDA Symbol:
- EQHY
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 150 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun,Part Shade,Shade
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- waterfowl, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from deep rhizomes after fire; rhizome system can survive ground fires.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, nutrient-rich, sandy or clay soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- often found near streams and wetlands
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Reproduces primarily by rhizomes; spores are short-lived and require immediate sowing on moist substrate.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI