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Plant Database

Search for native plants by scientific name, common name or family. If you are not sure what you are looking for, try the Combination Search or our Recommended Species lists.

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Equisetum sylvaticum (Woodland horsetail)
Smith, R.W.

Equisetum sylvaticum

Equisetum sylvaticum L.

Woodland Horsetail

Equisetaceae (Horsetail Family)

Synonym(s): Equisetum sylvaticum var. multiramosum, Equisetum sylvaticum var. pauciramosum

USDA Symbol: eqsy

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

Horsetails are high in silicates (sand) so have been used as pot scrubbers and bottle brushes.

 

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 28 inches tall.
Leaf: Green

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Not Applicable
Bloom Time: Mar , Apr , May
Bloom Notes: Not a flowering plant. Reproduces by spores contained within sporangia borne on peltate sporophylls.

Distribution

USA: AK , CT , DE , IA , ID , IL , MA , MD , ME , MI , MN , MT , NC , ND , NH , NJ , NY , OH , 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: Low
Light Requirement: Sun , Part Shade , Shade
Soil Moisture: Moist
CaCO3 Tolerance: Medium

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:AGCPAKAWCBEMPGPHIMWNCNEWMVE
Status: FACW FAC FAC FACW FACW FACW FACW FAC
This information is derived from: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (2023). 2022 National Wetland Plant List, version 3.6. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS. https://wetland-plants.usace.army.mil/. 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 sylvaticum in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Equisetum sylvaticum in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Equisetum sylvaticum

Metadata

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

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