Equisetum hyemale

What to Eat

Edible parts: Root, Stem, Leaves - drink

The fertile shoots (strobili), harvested in spring, can be cooked as an asparagus substitute, though caution is advised regarding toxicity. The roots can be dried and then cooked as a source of starch, with the same caution regarding toxicity. One further report notes that Native Americans also ate the peeled stems, base of the plant, roots, and tubers raw, but cautions that this may be inadvisable.

Known Hazards

Where to Find It

It is a temperate plant. It grows in cool climates. It grows in moist soil and up to 20 cm of water. In N China it grows along the banks of streams between 100-3,000 m above sea level. It suits hardiness zones 3-10.

Asia, Australia, Britain, Canada, China, Europe, Hawaii, Japan, Korea, Luxembourg, Mongolia, North America, Russia, Slovenia, Tasmania, Tibet, USA,

How to Identify

An evergreen rush. It grows 1.2 m high. The stems are hollow and do not have leaves. They have 14-40 ridges along them. There are cones at the tips. These are 1-2 cm long. These are pointed.

How to Grow

Prefers a moist soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5. Plants are hardy to about -30°c. The stems of this species were once exported to Britain in quantity from Holland so that they could be used as an abrasive for cleaning pots and pans. 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. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. Thick or swollen - fibrous or tap root.

Propagation: Spores should ideally be collected as soon as they ripen in spring and surface-sown immediately on sterile compost. Keep moist and pot up as soon as plants are large enough to handle. Germination is very difficult. Division is also possible; plants usually spread freely when well sited and rarely need assistance.

Medicinal Uses

Horsetails have an unusual chemistry compared to most other plants — they are rich in silica, contain several alkaloids including nicotine, and various minerals. The plant is anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, haemostatic, hypotensive, and styptic, and also has an appetite-stimulating effect. The barren stems are used and are most active when fresh, though they can also be dried; sometimes the ashes of the plant are used. Taken internally it acts as a useful diuretic and is used in the treatment of kidney and bladder problems. A decoction applied externally will stop the bleeding of wounds and promote healing. The plant also contains polyphenolic flavonoids with bactericidal activity.

Other Uses

The stems are very rich in silica and are used for scouring and polishing metal and as a fine sandpaper — the stems are first bleached by repeated wetting and drying in the sun. They can also be used to polish wooden floors and furniture. An infusion of the stem is an effective fungicide against mildew, mint rust, and blackspot on roses, and makes a good liquid feed. Used as a hair rinse, it can eliminate fleas, lice, and mites. A light pink dye is obtained from the stem. The hollow stems have been used as whistles; one report also describes children pulling the stem joints apart to produce a whistling sound.

Equisetum hyemale, commonly known as rough horsetail or scouring rush, is an evergreen perennial herbaceous pteridophyte in the horsetail family Equisetaceae native to Eurasia and Greenland. It was formerly widely treated in a broader sense including a subspecies (subsp. affine) in North America, but this is now treated as a separate species, Equisetum praealtum.

Other Information

It is a famine food.

Notes

There are about 25 Equisetum species. It can spread and become a problem. It is used in medicine.

More from Equisetaceae

Equisetum arvense

Field horsetail

Equisetum fluviatile

Swamp horsetail, Joint grass, Scrub grass

Equisetum laevigatum

Smooth horsetail

Equisetum palustre

Equisetum pratense

Meadow horsetail

Equisetum ramosissimum