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scouringrush horsetail
Scientific Name: Equisetum hyemale
Family: Equisetaceae
Category: Horsetail
Growth: Forb/herb
Duration: Perennial
Other Names:
Equisetum hyemale (Rough Horsetail)
Equisetum hyemale, commonly known as rough horsetail, scing rush, scingrush horsetail, Dutch rush, and in South Africa as snake grass, is a perennial herb with a distinctive appearance.
Considerations for Pets
- The plant has rough, ridged stems.
- The plant is fast-growing and may spread in gardens.
Considerations for Children
- The plant has rough, ridged stems.
- The plant is fast-growing and may spread in gardens.
- Historically, the stems have been used for scing utensils.
Taxonomy and Nomenclature
- Scientific Name: Equisetum hyemale L.
- Family: Equisetaceae
- Synonyms: Equisetum affine, Equisetum hyemale ssp. affine, Equisetum hyemale var. californicum, Equisetum hyemale var. affine
- Common Names: Rough Horsetail, Scing Rush, Scingrush Horsetail, Dutch Rush, Snake Grass, Horsetail, Scing Horsetail, Canuela, Shave-grass. Other common names include Common Scing Rush, Rough Scing Rush, Bottlebrush, Horsetail, Field Horsetail.
Distribution and Habitat
- Native to Florida.
- Occurs in woods, fields, meadows, swamps, and moist soils alongside streams and rivers.
- Also found in regions including Albania, Austria, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada (Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland).
Ecological Role
- Some horsetail species, including Equisetum hyemale, are considered weeds and can be invasive.
- In high densities, it can reduce yields in agricultural settings.
- Horsetail may play a role in regenerating soil health by depositing minerals onto the surface soil.
Morphological Characteristics and Growth Habits
- Non-flowering, rush-like, rhizomatous, evergreen perennial.
- Typically grows 3-5 feet tall, but can reach up to 3 ft (0.9 m) or even 1 m (3ft 3in).
- Has unbranched stems with rough black ribs which slightly constrict the stem.
- Produces both fertile and infertile shoots.
- Each shoot has a single central stem that is jointed and more or less unbranched.
- Spreading, reed-like growth habit.
- Hardy to zone (UK) 5.
Quirky Facts
- The name "scing rush" comes from its historical use as a scing utensil due to its high silica content.
- Horsetails are considered a primitive group of plants known for their bizarre appearance and have existed for millions of years.
- It belongs to the Equisetophyta, and is the only surviving genus of this group.
Interactions with Other Organisms
- Can reduce yields if growing in high densities in fields.
Resources
- Dave's Garden (davesgarden.com)
- Weed Science (wsweedscience.org)
- California Invasive Species Council (cal-ipc.org)