rough horsetail
Equisetum hyemale
Commonly called 'scouring rush', its high silica content made it a popular natural abrasive for early pioneers to scrub their metal pots and pans.
- Scientific name
- Equisetum hyemale
- Taxonomy
- Plantae › Tracheophyta › Polypodiopsida › Equisetales › Equisetaceae › Equisetum
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- wetland
- Habitat
- Riparian zones, riverbanks, wet meadows, and damp forest understories
- Diet
- Photosynthetic (utilizes sunlight, water, and soil minerals)
- Range
- North America, Europe, Northern Asia
- Size
- Stems reach 60 to 150 cm (2 to 5 feet) in height.
- Lifespan
- Individual stems live 1-2 years, but the underground rhizome system can survive for decades.
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Wetland drainage, water pollution, and aggressive invasive plant species.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to touch. Do not ingest, as it contains high levels of silica and the enzyme thiaminase, which is toxic to humans and livestock if consumed in quantity. Safe to observe and gently touch to feel its unique, abrasive texture.
Equisetum hyemale , commonly known as rough horsetail , scouring rush , scouringrush horsetail and in South Africa as snake grass, is a perennial herb in the fern Division Pteridophyta. It is a native plant throughout the Holarctic Kingdom, found in North America, Europe, and northern Asia.
Photo: Sara Patton, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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