Equisetum hyemale - Ornamental Horsetail

The Continental Op

Anyone got any experience of the ORNAMENTAL horsetail?

I've plenty of experience of the weed varieties.

Just wondering as a neighbor has come back from a nursery with three pots of Equisetum hyemale and I wonder if down the road they are going to have any problems after planting it in their garden?

standardg60

The plant spreads very aggressively by underground runners, reaching under/past pavements and garden walls. Root barriers or large sunken planters ease containment in the garden.

Just from a quick Google, no personal experience but does remind me of a nursery once selling variegated scutch!

The Continental Op

standardg60 wrote: »

The plant spreads very aggressively by underground runners, reaching under/past pavements and garden walls. Root barriers or large sunken planters ease containment in the garden.

Just from a quick Google, no personal experience but does remind me of a nursery once selling variegated scutch!

I've already warned against planting anywhere near their bound gravel paths.

I'm not to worried about it spreading but more concerned about getting rid of it if it does become a pest.

I have seen it growing reasonably well contained in a couple of gardens but no idea how much effort the owners put into keeping it growing that way.

When in various garden clubs in the UK we'd always get someone trying to give us varigated ground elder for our plant sales :rolleyes: If its easy to propagate people think they must give it away.

A2LUE42

It is a curse to try and get rid of and when the spores spread they can move very quickly and further than you would believe.