Horsetail ID

jennyb · #1 (**permalink**) 09-02-2006, 09:20 PM

I hope someone can help. I have some photos of horsetails (Equisetum) taken by my pond but on researching them I see there are lots of different kinds.

Can anyone give me a definitive ID?

You can see them at www.english-country-garden.com/flowers/horsetail.htm and if you click on either of the small photos you will see a bigger one.

Many thanks,

Jenny

nightshade · #2 (**permalink**) 10-02-2006, 05:55 AM

I foolishly planted horsetails around my pond in its early incarnation,If you want comparison pics I am sure the are still a few hundred around still! They are atough greeny grey probably due to the excess reproduction they get up to!!

wildone · #3 (**permalink**) 10-02-2006, 07:15 AM

nightshade

The grey-green colour is because they contain a lot of silica, which also makes them hard to cut down.

jennyb · #4 (**permalink**) 10-02-2006, 07:34 AM

I already searched in the Gallery but only found 2 matches which don't help in identifying mine.

BTW I know they are invasive and I did not plant these, but they do look quite attractive in summer.

Jenny

wildone · #5 (**permalink**) 10-02-2006, 07:46 AM

Jenny, have had a look in the only book I have which gives Horsetails but cannot ID your pictures. Unfortunately because only part of the first plant is shown, salient features are missing. The second has individual plants too far away to again attempt an ID.
By the way these are non-flowering plants, having spores by which they reproduce. Again the spore heads can be at the top of the plant or on the tips of the 'leaves'.

jennyb · #6 (**permalink**) 10-02-2006, 08:04 AM

Wildone, I have added another couple of photographs (not particularly good ones) to see if that helps with the ID, but I suspect that you still will not be able to see enough detail.

Thanks,

Jenny