Habitat
Type: grassy areas, often near water courses
Distribution: throughout northern hemisphere
Other: patch forming invasive plant

General
Growth type: herb
Cycle: perennial
Height: up to 60 cm
Other: non-flowering plant with spore bearing head in early spring, followed by barren, coarse plant resembling a miniature conifer tree

Fertile Stem
Colour: brown
Texture: segmented, succulent
Other: oval spore-bearing tip, precedes barren stem

Barren Stem
Colour: green
Texture: segmented, tough
Other: silica crystals can be seen on the surface of the green fronds, succeeds the fertile stem

Toxic if consumed in large quantities .

Contains thiaminase. Thiaminase is a heat-resistant enzyme which destroys Vitamin B1. It is safe in small quantities, and when diet contains plenty of Vitamin B1. It is destroyed by cooking at 80 degrees Centigrade or above for at least 5 minutes.

Contains equisetic acid, a potent heart and nerve sedative.

May be mistaken for poisonous Marsh Horsetail E. palustris

March to September
all year

How to Consume
fertile and vegetative stems: cooked
nodules attached to root: raw

Special preparation
fertile: peel, discard tip
vegetative: remove leaf sheaths

Nutrition
minerals, Vitamin C

Used as ...
food

Action:
fertile: anodyne, antiseptic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, galactagogue, haemostatic, vulnerary

May treat:
fertile: internal (tea, juice): cough, hoarseness, cystitis, bed wetting, benign enlargement of prostate gland; external: eczema, ulcerous/slow healing wounds, rheumatism, neuralgia; sitzbad: candida

contains silica - can be used to scour saucepans and as a sander for finishing wood; foliar spray for: mint rust, blight and other mildew - boil stems for a few minutes, leave for a day, strain, dilute 1:2 with water; liquid plant feed

Drying
dry to store

Plant parts:
leaf
stem or trunk
sap
root, bulb, tuber and other below ground parts
flower
fruit
seed

Use:
culinary use
medicinal use
household use

Other:
caution

Glossary of Medicinal Terms and Nutritive Substances

• anodyne: eases pain (milder than an analgesic)
• antiseptic: prevents putrefaction (applied to wounds)
• astringent: causes localised contraction of blood vessels and tissue, reducing the flow of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• carminative: prevents or eases effects of flatulence
• diaphoretic: promotes perspiration, aids the skin in elimination of toxins
• diuretic: increases secretion and elimination of urine
• galactagogue: stimulates the production of breast milk or increases milk flow
• haemostatic: controls bleeding (see astringent)
• vulnerary: promotes healing of wounds (applied externally)