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Equisetum myriochaetum (Giant Horsetail) - This prehistoric remnant is among the tallest of the living horsetails. Given optimum conditions, which includes a frost-free location with ample water and rich soil, this subtropical plant is evergreen and can grow to an astonishing 15 feet tall and in some reported cases to 24 feet, although plants attaining this height were likely stems supported by other vegetation. From underground rhizomes are produced 1/2-inch-wide hollow aerial stems that arise at tight intervals, forming dense colonies. The stems appear jointed with fine hair like green leaves in whorls sometimes accompanied by side branches that both emerge from sheaths at the stem nodes.
Plant in full sun to light shade in a rich soil and keep moist. Best in a container or with an area protected by a deep root barrier to check spread of the rhizomes.
Equisetum myriochaetum grows naturally in Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Peru and Mexico (found in the states of Nayarit, Jalisco, Colima, Michoacan, Guerrero, Mexico State, Oaxaca, Puebla, Veracruz, Hidalgo, San Luis Potosi, Nuevo Leon, Chiapas). The name for the genus comes from the Latin words 'equus' meaning "horse" and 'setum' meaning "bristle" or "hair" in reference to the way some of the branched species appear like a horse's tail. The specific epithet comes from the Greek words 'myrios' meaning "countless" or "many" and 'chaeta' meaning "bristle" of "hair" in reference to the brush-like whorls of small branchlets that emerge at the stem nodes.
We first received our stock on this plant from Monterey Bay Nursery who received it from the University of California, Berkeley - their accession listed it as collected in Veracruz, Mexico. Horsetails show promise as ground covers for dikes, road cuts, abandoned strip mines and other bare areas. They tend to absorb heavy metals, and so may be useful as biological monitors of water or soil contamination by zinc, cadmium and lead. Note, however, that horsetails cause a serious poisoning, called equisetosis, in horses.
The information displayed on this page about Equisetum myriochaetum is based on our research conducted about this plant from books in our nursery library as well as from information that is provided by reliable online resources. We also have included our own observations made about it as it grew in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers when we had them in our nursery field. We also include comments received from others and welcome hearing from anyone who has information about this plant, particularly if it includes cultural information aiding others to better grow it.
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