Hippuris vulgaris

RHS Plant Profile

common mare's tail

Other common names

bottlebrush, cat tail, joint weed, paddock pipes, witch's milk, rhawn y gaseg

Synonyms

Hippuris maritima

Aquatic

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A deciduous hardy perennial for pond edges and bog gardens. Soft upright green, narrow-leaved foliage arranged in whorls around stems reaching up to 30cm. In summer sometimes produces green-yellow flowers

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Clay

Max Height

0.1-0.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 1–2 years
Max Spread: 0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height: 0.1-0.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Clay

Moisture: Poorly–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing or North–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: Plantaginaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: Yes
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright, Bushy, Submerged
Genus
Name Status: Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Plant directly into pond edges, or into baskets of aquatic compost topped with aquatic gravel, with the crown up to 15cm below the water's surface. Thrives in sun or partial shade. See pond plants and bog gardens for further advice

Propagation

Propagate by division

Suggested planting locations and garden types

Wildlife gardens
Low Maintenance

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

Generally pest-free

Diseases

Generally disease-free