Giant Horsetail
Equisetum telmateia
- Native to:
- Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Corse, Cyprus, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iran, Ireland, Italy, Kriti, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Libya, Madeira, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, NW. Balkan Pen., Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Tunisia, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine, United States
iNaturalist: © walterfertig (iNaturalist #38769797)
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Equisetophyta | - Horsetails
- Family:
- Equisetaceae
- Genus:
- Equisetum
- Species:
- Equisetum telmateia
- USDA Symbol:
- EQTE
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- 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 network can survive underground during burns.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- moist, nutrient-rich, loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- tolerates poor drainage
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- Commonly found in wetland areas and along streams.
Propagation & Germination
- Notes:
- Reproduces primarily via spores and rhizomes; spores are short-lived and require immediate sowing on moist substrate.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI