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Equisetum arvense
| Common name: |
Field Horsetail |
Family: |
Equisetaceae |
| Author: |
L. |
Botanical references: |
17 |
| Synonyms: |
|
| Known Hazards: |
Large quantities of the plant can be toxic. This is because it contains the enzyme thiaminase[172], a substance that can rob the body of the vitamin B complex[65]. 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[172].
The plant also contains equisetic acid - see the notes on medicinal uses for more information[213]. |
| Range: |
Arctic and temperate regions of Europe, including Britain, N. America and Asia. |
| Habitat: |
Open fields, arable land, waste places, hedgerows and roadsides[9], usually on moist soils[4]. |
| Edibility Rating (1-5): |
2 | Medicinal Rating (1-5): | 3 |
| Other Possible Synonyms: | From various places across the web, may not be correct. See below. |
| E. arvens[E]
E. arvense var. alpestre[B,P]
E. arvense var. boreale[B,P]
E. arvense var. campestre[B,P]
E. arvense var. riparium[B,P]
E. calderi[B,P]
|
| Other Common Names: | From various places around the Web, may not be correct. See below. |
| At Quyroughi [E], Atkuyrugu [E], Ca& ntilde utillo Del Llano [S], Chieh Hsu Ts'Ao [E], Cola De Caballo [E], Corn Horsetail [H], Equiseto Menor [E], Field Horsetail [FEIS,B,P,H,L], Heermoes [D], Horsetail [H,E,S], Kilkah Asb [E], Prele [E], Scouring Rush [S], Sugina [E], Thanab Al Khail [E], Vara De Oro [E], Wen Ching [E], |
| Epithets: | From a Dictionary of Botanical Epithets |
|
arvense = of cultivated fields
|
| Systematics: | From a USDA Plants Database |
|
Order: Equisetales. Horsetail family
|
| Other Range Info: |
From the Ethnobotany Database |
|
Canada(Kwakiutl)
China Germany Guatemala Haiti Iraq Kurdistan Mexico Panama Spain Turkey Us Us(Flathead)
|
| Noxious, Invasive and Injurious Weeds | From USDA PLANTS database, Weeds Australia
, DEFRA Injurious Weeds | | Listed as noxious/invasive for: Oregon, New South Wales, South Australia, Western Australia, Tasmaina, Queensland. |
Physical Characteristics
Perennial growing to 0.6m. It is hardy to zone 2. The seeds ripen in April. We rate it 2/5 for edibility and
3/5 for medicinal use.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and can grow in nutritionally poor soil.
The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils.
It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade.
It requires dry or moist soil.
Habitats and Possible Locations
Meadow, Hedgerow.Edible Uses
Root
Stem.
Strobil (the fertile shoots in spring) - cooked and used as an
asparagus substitute[7, 46, 61, 94]. They should be used when young[116] but
even so it is probably best to change the water, perhaps 3 - 4 times[85,
102]. One report says that they can be eaten raw[172], they are peeled and
the shoot tip is discarded[213]. It is said to be a very tedious operation
and they should not be eaten raw in any quantity, see the notes above on
toxicity[K].
Some native tribes liked to eat the young vegetative shoots, picked before
they had branched out, and would often collect them in great quantity then
hold a feast to eat them[257]. The leaf sheaths were peeled off and the stems
eaten raw - they were said to be 'nothing but juice'[257].
Roots - raw[61]. The tuberous growths on the rhizomes are used in the
spring[172]. The black nodules attached to the roots are edible[257]. It
takes considerable effort to collect these nodules so it is normally only
done in times of desperation. However, native peoples would sometimes raid
the underground caches of roots collected by lemmings and other rodents in
order to obtain these nodules[257].
A further report says that the peeled stems, base of the plant, root and
tubers were eaten raw by the N. American Indians, the report went on to say
that this may be inadvisable[85].
Medicinal Uses
Disclaimer
Anodyne
Antiseptic Astringent Cardiac Carminative Diaphoretic Diuretic Galactogogue Haemostatic Homeopathy Nervine Vulnerary.
Horsetails have an unusual chemistry compared to most other
plants[238]. They are rich in silica, contain several alkaloids (including
nicotine) and various minerals[238]. Horsetail is very astringent and makes
an excellent clotting agent, staunching wounds, stopping nosebleeds and
reducing the coughing up of blood[254]. It helps speed the repair of damaged
connective tissue, improving its strength and elasticity[254].
The plant is anodyne, antihaemorrhagic, antiseptic, astringent, carminative,
diaphoretic, diuretic, galactogogue, haemostatic and vulnerary[4, 7, 9, 20,
21, 46, 61, 165, 172, 218, 240]. The green infertile stems are used, they are
most active when fresh but can also be harvested in late summer and dried for
later use[4, 9]. Sometimes the ashes of the plant are used[4]. The plant is a
useful diuretic when taken internally and is used in the treatment of kidney
and bladder problems, cystitis, urethritis, prostate disease and internal
bleeding, proving especially useful when there is bleeding in the urinary
tract[4, 238, 254]. A decoction applied externally will stop the bleeding of
wounds and promote healing[4]. It is especially effective on nose bleeds[7].
A decoction of the herb added to a bath benefits slow-healing sprains and
fractures, as well as certain irritable skin conditions such as eczema[254].
The plant contains equisetic acid, which is thought to be identical to
aconitic acid. This substance is a potent heart and nerve sedative that is a
dangerous poison when taken in high doses[213].
This plant contains irritant substances and should only be used for short
periods of time[238]. It is also best only used under the supervision of a
qualified practitioner.
A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh plant[7]. It is used in the
treatment of cystitis and other complaints of the urinary system[7]. We have a more details factsheet on the history and medicinal use of this plant. Email webmaster@pfaf.org for details.
Other Uses
Dye
Fungicide Liquid feed Musical Paper Polish Sandpaper Scourer.
The stems contain 10% silica and are used for scouring metal[4, 7, 20,
94, 102] and as a fine sandpaper[7, 54, 99, 257]. They can also be used as a
polish for brass, hardwood etc[94].
The infused stem is an effective fungicide against mildew, mint rust and
blackspot on roses[14, 18, 20, 54]. It also makes a good liquid feed[54].
A light pink dye is obtained from the stem[99, 257]. It is yellow-gray
according to another report[102].
The plant has been used for making whistles[257].
Cultivation details
Prefers poor dusty ground[53, 54]. This rather contradicts another
report which says that the presence of this plant indicates underground
water[4]. Prefers a moist but well-drained fertile soil with a pH between 6.5
and 7.5[200, 238].
A very cold-hardy species tolerating temperatures down to about -30° c[200].
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[200].
Propagation
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[200].
Division. The plants usually spread very freely when well sited and should
not really need any assistance.
Suppliers
For more details of plant suppliers please see our Suppliers Page which lists many more places to look.
Web References
- Details of Medicinal Uses, Habitats, etc. in M. Grieve A Modern Herbal (1931) [4]
- [H] Details of Scandanavian and European Common names in Henriette's names database
- [L] Scientific and Common Names (some photos)
from Lepidoptera and some other life forms
- [E] Ethnobotany Data
(common names, uses, countries) from the Ethnobotany Database.
- [V] Images
from the Vascular Plant Image Gallery of the Texas A& M Bioinformatics Working Group.
- [B] Data
(Latin & Common names, other references) from the BONAP's Synonymized Checklist of the Vascular Flora of the United States, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands.
- [S] Illustration
from the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine
- [C] Taxon data.
from the CalFlora database.
- Images
from the CalPhoto database.
- [PHARM] Phytochemical Data
(common names, uses, countries) from Dr Duke's Phytochemical Database.
- [G] Data
(Common Names, Uses, Distribution) from the USDA/ARS NPGS's GRIN taxonomic database.
- [P] Data.
(uses, distribution, wetland) from the USDA'a Plants database.
- [FEIS] Data
(Uses, Ecology, Fire Effects) from the USDA Forestry Service Fire Effects Information System.
- [HP] Links, Photos, Suppliers from Hortiplex Plant Database
References for Equisetum arvens (a possible synonym).
References for equisetum arvense (a possible synonym).
See the PFAF Links Pages for other sources.
Also try Photos and info from the The Plants Database which has 14,000 images.
[K] Ken Fern
Notes from observations, tasting etc at Plants For A Future and on field trips.
[4] Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9
Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants.
[7] Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984 ISBN 0-356-10541-5
Covers plants growing in Europe. Also gives other interesting information on the plants. Good photographs.
[9] Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981 ISBN 0-600-37216-2
Covers plants in Europe. a drawing of each plant, quite a bit of interesting information.
[14] Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979 ISBN 0-87857-262-7
A good herbal.
[17] Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962
A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
[18] Philbrick H. and Gregg R. B. Companion Plants. Watkins 1979
Details of beneficial and antagonistic relationships between neighbouring plants.
[20] Riotte. L. Companion Planting for Successful Gardening. Garden Way, Vermont, USA. 1978 ISBN 0-88266-064-0
Fairly good.
[21] Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983 ISBN 0-553-23827-2
Lots of information tightly crammed into a fairly small book.
[46] Uphof. J. C. Th. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim 1959
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
[53] De. Bray. L. The Wild Garden.
Interesting reading.
[54] Hatfield. A. W. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd 1977 ISBN 0-584-10141-4
Interesting reading.
[61] Usher. G. A Dictionary of Plants Used by Man. Constable 1974 ISBN 0094579202
Forget the sexist title, this is one of the best books on the subject. Lists a very extensive range of useful plants from around the world with very brief details of the uses. Not for the casual reader.
[65] Frohne. D. and Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Wolfe 1984 ISBN 0723408394
Brilliant. Goes into technical details but in a very readable way. The best work on the subject that I've come across so far.
[85] Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9
A superb book. Very readable, it gives the results of the authors experiments with native edible plants.
[94] Sweet. M. Common Edible and Useful Plants of the West. Naturegraph Co. 1962 ISBN 0-911010-54-8
Useful wild plants in Western N. America. A pocket guide.
[99] Turner. N. J. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum 1979 ISBN 0-7718-8117-7
Excellent and readable guide.
[102] Kavasch. B. Native Harvests. Vintage Books 1979 ISBN 0-394-72811-4
Another guide to the wild foods of America.
[116] Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1986
A small booklet packed with information.
[165] Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
An excellent small herbal.
[172] Schofield. J. J. Discovering Wild Plants - Alaska, W. Canada and the Northwest.
A nice guide to some useful plants in that area.
[200] Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992 ISBN 0-333-47494-5
Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
[213] Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980 ISBN 0-449-90589-6
A nice book to read though it is difficult to look up individual plants since the book is divided into separate sections dealing with the different medicinal uses plus a section on edible plants. Common names are used instead of botanical.
[218] Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985 ISBN 0-917256-20-4
Details of over 1,200 medicinal plants of China and brief details of their uses. Often includes an analysis, or at least a list of constituents. Heavy going if you are not into the subject.
[238] Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995 ISBN 0-7513-020-31
A very well presented and informative book on herbs from around the globe. Plenty in it for both the casual reader and the serious student. Just one main quibble is the silly way of having two separate entries for each plant.
[240] Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986
Very terse details of medicinal uses of plants with a wide range of references and details of research into the plants chemistry. Not for the casual reader.
[254] Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996 ISBN 9-780751-303148
An excellent guide to over 500 of the more well known medicinal herbs from around the world.
[257] Moerman. D. Native American Ethnobotany Timber Press. Oregon. 1998 ISBN 0-88192-453-9
Very comprehensive but terse guide to the native uses of plants. Excellent bibliography, fully referenced to each plant, giving a pathway to further information. Not for the casual reader.
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Plant information taken from the
Plants For A Future -
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Copyright (c) 1997-2003.
WEB search engine by Rich Morris - Home Page- Contact Info
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Website: www.pfaf.org Phone: 0845 458 4719/_44(0) 1208 872963 This page (UK) http://www.comp.leeds.ac.uk/cgi-bin/pfaf/arr_html?Equisetum+arvense
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