Equisetum telmateia

RHS Plant Profile

great horsetail

Other common names

foxtail asparagus

Synonyms

Equisetum maximum

Herbaceous Perennial

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The largest native horsetail, reaching over 1m tall, and found throughout the British Isles. This ancient, non-flowering plant, related to ferns and mosses, spreads through its very extensive network of black, underground stems. Tall, greenish-white stems, ringed with black at the joints, support whorls of 20-40 fine, green branches up to 20cm long. Spores are produced in early spring in oval cones at the top of separate, shorter, brown and white stems

Position

Full shade, Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam, Sand

Size

Time to Maturity: 5–10 years

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam Sand

Moisture: Moist but well–drained or Poorly–drained or Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full shade Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or North–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Exposed or Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H7

Colour & Scent

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Equisetaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: Yes
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Bushy, Columnar upright
Genus: Equisetum are also known as horsetails or living fossils as they are the only living genus in Equisetaceae, a family of vascular plants which reproduce by spores rather than seeds. Plants have a rush-like appearance.
Name Status: Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Found naturally in a wide range of environments, particularly damp and shady places such as woodland and embankments. If established in gardens its deep, persistent rhizomes (underground stems) make it very difficult to remove, but it is not strongly competitive so can be tolerated for its dramatic appearance in less cultivated areas. If you need to control it see horsetail for advice

Propagation

Spreads by spores but predominantly by underground rhizomes

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free