Horsetail Rush ?

Other plants we have or landscape elements like ponds.

Moderator: needmore

Post Reply
Matt W
Posts: 203
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:24 pm
Location info: 91
Location: N.E. TN
Contact:

Horsetail Rush ?

Post by Matt W »

Anyone have experience with this plant? A friend gave me a couple of small divisions. While I'm confident about controlling 27 varieties of bamboo, being lucky enough to have some equipment. My early research on Horsetail Rushes makes me a little scared. It's neat looking stuff, but I don't need a plant that requires hand work to control.

Matt
User avatar
foxd
Posts: 3221
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:30 pm
Location info: 21
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Zone 5b/6a Bloomington, INElevation: 770-790 feet

Re: Horsetail Rush ?

Post by foxd »

I have some and it comes up in he most amazing places.
Southern Indiana.
My Bamboo List.

The legal issues that will arise when the undead walk the earth are legion, and addressing them all is well beyond what could reasonably be accomplished in this brief Essay. Indeed, a complete treatment of the tax issues alone would require several volumes.
Matt W
Posts: 203
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:24 pm
Location info: 91
Location: N.E. TN
Contact:

Re: Horsetail Rush ?

Post by Matt W »

Thanks Foxd, That's what I was afraid of. Things I can get to with a tractor / rotary brush cutter or backhoe don't concern me but spores blowing into places I can only get to by foot and by hand could be a problem.
Alan_L
Posts: 2966
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:13 pm
Location info: 81
Location: St. Louis area

Re: Horsetail Rush ?

Post by Alan_L »

I only grow it in big pots. I'd never put it into the ground. I love it though!

(It grows new plants from stem cuttings! http://www.itsnotworkitsgardening.com/2 ... overy.html

Image
Matt W
Posts: 203
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:24 pm
Location info: 91
Location: N.E. TN
Contact:

Re: Horsetail Rush ?

Post by Matt W »

So Alan, you have no concerns about it showing up in flower beds or in your bamboo from spore dispersal? I have a perfect place for it, if it'll just spread on the ground and not by air. I too like the unique look. Nice blog post, thanks.
User avatar
needmore
Posts: 5008
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2005 9:14 pm
Location info: 0
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Kea'au, HI

Re: Horsetail Rush ?

Post by needmore »

I have/had a native stand of it but the deer have almost wiped it out, it seems they really fancy this one.
Brad Salmon, zone 12B Kea'au, HI
http://www.needmorebamboo.com
Matt W
Posts: 203
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 4:24 pm
Location info: 91
Location: N.E. TN
Contact:

Re: Horsetail Rush ?

Post by Matt W »

Good to know Brad. It probably won't last long here. Deer wiped out a lot of our daylilies about a week ago. So far they haven't touched my bamboo.
Alan_L
Posts: 2966
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 4:13 pm
Location info: 81
Location: St. Louis area

Re: Horsetail Rush ?

Post by Alan_L »

Well, I hadn't really thought of spore dispersal, but I imagine those plants would be tiny, any not difficult to control when small.

I also know that rabbits love this stuff too -- I haven't seen the deer eat it here.
User avatar
foxd
Posts: 3221
Joined: Wed Feb 09, 2005 7:30 pm
Location info: 21
Bamboo Society Membership: ABS - America
Location: Zone 5b/6a Bloomington, INElevation: 770-790 feet

Re: Horsetail Rush ?

Post by foxd »

Alan_L wrote:Well, I hadn't really thought of spore dispersal, but I imagine those plants would be tiny, any not difficult to control when small.

I also know that rabbits love this stuff too -- I haven't seen the deer eat it here.
I think it is more of a case that it spread easily just from pieces of the stem.
Southern Indiana.
My Bamboo List.

The legal issues that will arise when the undead walk the earth are legion, and addressing them all is well beyond what could reasonably be accomplished in this brief Essay. Indeed, a complete treatment of the tax issues alone would require several volumes.
canadianplant
Posts: 803
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:36 am
Location info: 0
Location: zone 3a-4b

Re: Horsetail Rush ?

Post by canadianplant »

They are one of the oldest plant species alive. They evolved from the giant horsetail that dominated the landscapes roughly 400 million years ago - they are one of the 5% of the species that survived the permian mass exctinction event. They survive up here in NW ontario.

They seem to show up in my yard in undisterbed wet, fertile soil. They have not shown up in my beds as of yet. They are apparently highly medicinal and are great to help break down tough soil. They are an important food source for animals. They used to get upwards of 60m tall but the tallest now is the mexican giant horsetail which can reach 8M in height. The wetter the year, and the closer to the lake you get they are larger and more plentiful.
canadianplant
Posts: 803
Joined: Sat Aug 08, 2009 1:36 am
Location info: 0
Location: zone 3a-4b

Re: Horsetail Rush ?

Post by canadianplant »

Mexican giant horsetail (Equisetum myriochaetum). its quite bamboo like:

Image



A bit more info

http://www2.fiu.edu/~chusb001/GiantEqui ... giant.html
Post Reply