Practical
Plants

Equisetum telmateia

Giant Horsetail

a perennial member of the Equisetum genus in the family Equisetaceae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Life cycle
perennial
Height
2 m

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Large quantities of the plant can be toxic. This is because it contains the enzyme thiaminase[4], a substance that can rob the body of the vitamin B complex[14]. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase[4]. The plant also contains equisetic acid - see the notes on medicinal uses for more information[7].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Strobil (the fertile shoots in spring) - raw or cooked[8]. The tough outer fibres are peeled off, or can be chewed and then discarded[8]. The vegetative shoots, produced from late spring onwards, were occasionally cleaned of their leaves, sheathing and branches and then eaten by native North American Indians, but only when very young and tightly compacted[8]. Root - cooked[9].

Plant part
Stem

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The plant is astringent and diuretic[9]. A decoction has been used to treat 'stoppage of urine'[9]. A poultice of the rough leaves and stems is applied to cuts and sores[9].

Product or use
Astringent
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Poultice

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The stems are very rich in silica[10]. They are used for scouring and polishing metal[1][10][11][13][16][9] and as a fine sandpaper[12][16][9]. The stems are first bleached by repeated wetting and drying in the sun[15]. They can also be used as a polish for wooden floors and furniture[11][5]. The infused stem is an effective fungicide against mildew, mint rust and blackspot on roses[2]. It also makes a good liquid feed[12]. Used as a hair rinse it can eliminate fleas, lice and mites[7]. The black roots have been used for imbrication on coiled baskets[9].

Product or use
Basketry
Product or use
Fungicide
Product or use
Hair care
Product or use
Liquid feed
Product or use
Polish
Product or use
Sandpaper

Environment

Range
Europe, including Britain, from Sweden south and east to N. Africa and W. Asia, N.W. N. America.
Habitat
Damp shady banks etc, to 350 metres[3].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 6+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Spores - best collected as soon as they are ripe in the spring and surface-sown immediately on a sterile compost. Keep moist and pot up as soon as the plants are large enough to handle. Very difficult[6]. Division. The plants usually spread very freely when well sited and should not really need any assistance.

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Prefers a moist soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5[6]. Plants are hardy to about -30°c[6]. Plants have a deep and penetrating root system and can be invasive. If grown in the garden they are best kept in bounds by planting them in a large container which can be sunk into the ground[6].

References

  1. F. Chittendon. RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Oxford University Press 1951-00-00

    ↩

  2. Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7

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  3. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

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  4. Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.

    ↩1↩2

  5. Stuart. Rev. G. A. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre

    ↩

  6. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  7. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩1↩2

  8. Turner. N. J. Food Plants of Coastal First Peoples UBC Press. Vancouver. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7748-0533-1

    ↩1↩2↩3

  9. Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998-00-00 ISBN 0-88192-453-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7

  10. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2

  11. Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  12. Hatfield. A. W. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd 1977-00-00 ISBN 0-584-10141-4

    ↩1↩2

  13. Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974-00-00 ISBN 0094579202

    ↩

  14. Frohne. D. and Pf�nder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984-00-00 ISBN 0723408394

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  15. Komarov. V. L. Flora of the USSR. Israel Program for Scientific Translation 1968-00-00

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  16. Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-7718-8117-7

    ↩1↩2

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