Equisetum sylvaticum
| Equisetum sylvaticum | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 2 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Height: | 2' |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Equisetum sylvaticum (common name: wood horsetail)
Propagation: Spores - best collected as soon as they are ripe in the spring and surface-sown immediately on a sterile compost. Keep moist and pot up as soon as the plants are large enough to handle. Very difficult[1].
Division. The plants usually spread very freely when well sited and should not really need any assistance.
Cultivation: Prefers a moist soil with a pH between 6.5 and 7.5[1].
Plants are hardy to about -30°c[1].
Plants have a deep and penetrating root system and can be invasive. If grown in the garden they are best kept in bounds by planting them in a large container which can be sunk into the ground[1].
Range: Temperate regions of Europe, including Britain, N. America and Asia.
Habitat: Damp woods on acid soils, moors etc[2].
Edibility: Strobil (the fertile shoots in spring) - cooked[3]. An asparagus substitute, though it is neither very palatable nor very nutritious. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Roots - cooked. A source of starch[3]. Caution is advised, see the notes above on toxicity.
Medicinal: Horsetails have an unusual chemistry compared to most other plants[4]. They are rich in silica, contain several alkaloids (including nicotine) and various minerals[4]. The plant is astringent, diuretic and styptic[5]. The barren stems are used, they are most active when fresh but can also be dried and sometimes the ashes of the pant are used[5]. The plant is a useful diuretic when taken internally and is used in the treatment of kidney and bladder problems, internal bleeding[5][6]. A decoction applied externally will stop the bleeding of wounds and promote healing[5][6].
Usage: The stems can be used for scouring and polishing metal and as a fine sandpaper[5]. The stems are first bleached by repeated wetting and drying in the sun[7]. They can also be used as a polish for wooden floors and furniture[8][9].
The infused stem is an effective fungicide against mildew, mint rust and blackspot on roses[10]. It also makes a good liquid feed[11]. Used as a hair rinse it can eliminate fleas, lice and mites[12].
A light pink dye is obtained from the stem[13].
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Seed Ripens: Mid Spring-Late Spring
Known Hazards: Large quantities of the plant can be toxic. This is because it contains the enzyme thiaminase[14], a substance that can rob the body of the vitamin B complex[15]. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is r
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Moerman, Daniel. Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press, 1998.
- ↑ Komarov, Vladimir. Flora of the USSR. Gantner Verlag, 1968.
- ↑ Uphof, Johannes. Dictionary of Economic Plants. Weinheim, 1959.
- ↑ Stuart, George. Chinese Materia Medica. Taipei Southern Materials Centre.
- ↑ Hylton, Josie and William Holtom. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press, 1979.
- ↑ Hatfield, Audrey. How to Enjoy your Weeds. Frederick Muller Ltd, 1974.
- ↑ Weiner, Michael. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books, 1980.
- ↑ Turner, Nancy. Plants in British Columbian Indian Technology. British Columbia Provincial Museum, 1979.
- ↑ Schofield, Janice. Discovering Wild Plants.
- ↑ Frohne, Dietrich and Hans Pfänder. J. A Colour Atlas of Poisonous Plants. Timber Press, 1984.