Water horsetail
Equisetum fluviatile · Aquatic plants
A stand of it · Photo: Thor-Rune Hansen / CC BY-SA
Also called Swamp horsetail
How to identify Water horsetail
- Hollow, jointed green stems with a very large central opening
- Few or no side branches
- Conelike spore heads at the tip
- Stems 1 to 4 feet
Similar plants
Field horsetail grows on land and has a small central hole; mare's tail has true leaves in whorls.
Growth profile
| Growing season | Stems emerge in spring, cones in early summer and stems die back in fall. |
|---|---|
| Starts growing | About 45 F water |
| Light | Full sun to part shade |
| Depth | Shoreline to about 3 feet of water |
| How it spreads | Rhizomes and spores |
| Habitat | Shallow water of ponds, lakes, marshes and ditches. |
Why it matters in a lake
Horsetails contain compounds that are toxic to horses.
Where it is found
- Idaho: Occasional
- Oregon: Occasional
- Wyoming: Occasional
Classification
| Kingdom | Plantae |
|---|---|
| Phylum | Tracheophyta |
| Class | Polypodiopsida |
| Order | Equisetales |
| Family | Equisetaceae |
| Scientific name | Equisetum fluviatile |
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