Horsetail
Equisetum hyemale ssp. Affine
Care
part shade
moderate
Fast, Medium, Slow; Tolerates a variety of soils.
3–3ft tall
Resistant
Friendly
Riparian and wetland areas throughout California in streams and wet meadows, sea level to 10000 ft elevation.
Care Guide
Planting
Plant your horsetail in a container - this is key, as it's an aggressive spreader in the ground. Choose a spot with partial shade and ensure your soil drains well, though this plant tolerates a variety of soil types. Keep the soil consistently moist, as horsetail thrives in wetland conditions and can even handle seasonal flooding. You can plant it any time during the growing season, but spring gives it the most time to establish before winter.
After Planting
Water weekly during summer to keep the soil consistently moist; this plant dislikes drying out. Year one focuses on establishment in its container, and you don't need to wean it off water - horsetail wants steady moisture year-round. The number one mistake people make is planting it directly in the ground or in a pot without drainage that keeps soil wet, which leads to uncontrollable spreading. Your horsetail is evergreen and cold-hardy to 0°F, so it will persist through Bay Area winters with minimal fuss.
Wildlife Supported
Birds
Non-native established in California; forages on horsetail in fall
Aquatic forager; consumes horsetail shoots and stems in freshwater wetlands
Ground forager; supplements diet with horsetail shoots in wetlands year-round
Abundant non-native; opportunistic forager on horsetail shoots
Dabbling duck forages on horsetail shoots in shallow wetlands
Winter visitor; grazes horsetail in shallow water habitats Dec-Feb
Insects
Fungal decomposer and potential plant pathogen on Equisetum hyemale
Mammals
Spring forage item in riparian and wetland areas; California populations limited
Spring/early summer browse on new horsetail growth; California feral populations
Reptiles
Spring activity; feeds on aquatic horsetail in marshes and ponds
Summer foraging on horsetail in wetland habitats