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Horsetail
From Prehistoric Plant to Backyard Beauty
By Kelly Tunney
History is one of the most fascinating subjects we can ever study. In school, we bury ourselves in books about the history of our ancestors, and we take our children to museums to wonder at the awesome dinosaurs and mighty pyramids. The fact is, civilization has been obsessed with history since, well, the beginning of history. You probably didn’t even realize that the plants in your water garden could be the perfect reflection of history. One of the plants that can be traced back to the beginning of time is the horsetail we look at every day in your own backyard. Who knew?
They Go Way Back
Horsetail, in fact, dates back to the prehistoric times, as a major part of the vegetation available during that time. The ancient horsetail, however, is said to have been the size of fir trees, with huge forests being full of them. The smaller version we see today usually sits at about 18 inches or so...a far cry from its nearly 100-foot predecessor. As an ally of the fern, horsetail belongs to the Equisetum genus, which contains 25 species of spreading rhizomatous, flowerless, often marginal, aquatic perennials. The stems are spreading, branching, joined, and black-tinged, while the leaves are tiny and brown tinged, joined to form sheaths.
The Name Game
The name Equisetum is derived from the Latin roots equus, meaning “horse” and seta, meaning, “bristle.” Depending on which region of the world you are in, you may know of horsetail by several of different names like: shavegrass, pewterwort, bottlebrush, horsetail rush, paddock-pipes, Dutch rushes, or mare’s tail.
The Facts, Just the Facts
The primitive nature of the horsetail is evident in its reproduction process. Horsetail does not flower, therefore reproduction does not occur with seeds. Instead, horsetails propagate using spores, much like the fern. The spores are produced in sacs that make their home in the strobilus, which is the cone that sits at the top of certain stems. The spores become gameophytes, which contain the eggs and sperm needed for reproduction. The gameophytes are them dispersed by the wind and are germinated into archegonia (egg cells) or antheridia (sperm producers). Once the sperm is released (under moist conditions), they swim through water fi lms to reach the egg cells on the female gameophytes. From there, life is born!
Water Lovers
Horsetail is a plant that you don’t hear much about when it comes to plants near your water garden. This is surprising, considering the fact that horsetail is a water loving plant. You can find it along riverbanks, floodplains, and in swampy areas, so water gardens seem to be the perfect fit for this thirsty plant. Horsetails flourish in spots where they can bury their roots in water or a consistently wet environment, and will spread rapidly. Aquatic species of horsetail should be grown in soil less potting mix in full sun, in water no deeper than six inches. And remember, the plants need moist conditions in order to reproduce, so your backyard pond may be perfect for baby horsetails.
Seasonal Horsetail Maintenance
One of the most important things to remember when planting horsetail is that it spreads very, very quickly. In some regions of the world, it is even classified as invasive, so you may want to check with your local government to find out if it is legal to introduce horsetail to your water garden. If you do plant horsetail, you’ll want to keep an eye on it in the spring to make sure it is under control and is not taking over your whole pond. Once summer hits, you’ll want to thin out plants that are beginning to die in order to stop spores from spreading. In the fall, plants should be cut all the way down to the ground to, once again, stop spores from spreading. When it comes to dividing horsetail, spring and fall are the optimum
times to get it done, but be sure to replant it right away.
The Marvels of Horsetail
As with many plants, horsetail also claims a spot in the medical world…the alternative medicine world. While it has not been commonly accepted into traditional medicine, herbalists believe that, horsetail is instrumental as a diuretic. They also believe that applied externally, horsetail can be helpful in treating minor burns, fractures, rheumatic conditions, sprains, and poorly healing wounds. More recently, horsetail has been studied for its possible usefulness in treating arthritis, osteoporosis, and other conditions of bones and cartilage. The ancient Greeks and Romans supposedly used horsetail to stop major bleeding, and the Romans even went as far as incorporating it into their diets as a vegetable, although it didn’t add
much nutritional value and had very little fl avor. It is important to check with doctors before you consider ingesting horsetail, however, because it has been poisonous to grazing cattle and the effects of consuming large amounts of horsetail are not yet known.
Horsetail as a Household Tool?
Still looking for a use for the horsetail growing near your pond? Use your horsetail as a pot-scrubber or as a tool to polish wood. As the plant dries, silica crystals that form in the stems and branches give the plant a scratching effect, accounting for its historic use in polishing metal, particularly pewter. Before nonstick pans came along, the silica in horsetail also served as a good coating for pots and pans. So, if you’re out camping and need to scrub the frying pan, or if you’re looking to thin out your horsetail, grab a handful of dried stems, tie them together and get to work.
Plant Horsetail
Regardless of what you plan to use horsetail for, it’s a great plant to have in or near your water garden. From its interesting, jointed stems to its decorated history, horsetail can incite conversations between water gardeners anywhere. And let’s face it...there’s nothing better than sitting by your water garden and enjoying great conversation!
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