Native Plants

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Smith, R.W.

Equisetum fluviatile

Equisetum fluviatile L.

Water Horsetail

Equisetaceae (Horsetail Family)

Synonym(s): Equisetum fluviatile var. limosum, Equisetum limosum

USDA Symbol: EQFL

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), AK (N), CAN (N), SPM (N)

Aquatic birds and muskrats eat this plant. Common throughout.

From the Image Gallery

2 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Habit: Herb
Leaf Arrangement: Whorled
Fruit Type: Cone
Size Notes: Up to about 3-1/2 feet tall.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Not Applicable
Bloom Notes: Not a flowering plant. Reproduces by spores contained within sporangia borne on peltate sporophylls. Sporulates Apr - July.

Distribution

USA: AK , CT , DC , DE , IA , ID , IL , IN , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MT , ND , NE , NH , NJ , NY , OH , OR , PA , RI , SD , VA , VT , WA , WI , WV , WY
Canada: AB , BC , MB , NB , NL , NS , NT , ON , PE , QC , SK , YT
Native Habitat: Forest Edge,Prairie/Meadow/Field,Wet Meadow/Prairie/Field,Riparian,Swamp/Marsh

Growing Conditions

Water Use: High
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist , Wet
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium

Benefit

Attracts: Birds

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	OBL	OBL	OBL		OBL	OBL		OBL	OBL	OBL

This information is derived from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers National Wetland Plant List, Version 3.1 (Lichvar, R.W. 2013. The National Wetland Plant List: 2013 wetland ratings. Phytoneuron 2013-49: 1-241). Click here for map of regions.

Web Reference

Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Equisetum fluviatile in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Equisetum fluviatile in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Equisetum fluviatile

Metadata

Record Modified: 2023-03-30
Research By: TWC Staff

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