Equisetum hyemale 'Horsetail Fern'- The Horsetails belong to a class of their own, the Equisetacae, that has no direct affinity with any other group of plants. They are nearest allied to the Ferns. They are fern-like in function but not fern-like in shape.
The class includes only a single genus, Equisetum, the name derived from the Latin words equus (a horse) and seta (a bristle), from the peculiar bristly appearance of the jointed stems of the plants, which have also earned them their popular names of Horsetail, Bottle-brush, Paddock-pipes, and Scouring Rush. An exotic looking plant that is easy to grow, attracts attention and is great for containers, planter, beds, and is a complement to any water feature. Has a very distinctive jointed look. Prefers shade in the afternoon. Grows well in just about any kind of soil, even grows in shallow water. Forms upright clumps of cylindrica, leafless green stems with brown cones. Leaves are reduced to very small node-scales. Desirable for year round green color. Prime out old stems that become dry and brown. A most interesting plant, horsetail even makes a toy. The larger sections of plant can be pulled apart and made into a whistle; and the sections of plant can be strung together like a Tinker Toy. Its scouring rush name comes from its use by early pioneers in America (or present day Boy Scouts in an emergency) using sections of the plant as a scouring "pad" to clean pots and pans due to abundant silica in stems. When grown in or near water, plant stems make a popular landing pad for dragonflies. In the wild they serve as food for various kinds of wildlife, including mammals. A primitive exotic plant that is a survivor from the Age of the Dinosaurs--a living fossil. Everyone should have an Equietum plant, just to talk about...as a "conversation plant". Grows 3-4 feet has few pest, if any and grows well in full to partial sun. Plant can be invasive.Peak Period: Middle Devonian (410 to 360 million years ago) In their prehistoric heyday, ferns dominated landscapes. Many evolved into modern plants, and more than 12,000 species thrive today. From big tree ferns to tiny, wispy strains, they reproduce from spores found beneath their fronds, or leaves.