Grows well in full sun or shade, with occasional to regular irrigation and is extremely hardy (to -40F). Its vigorous growth habit should be considered before planting it as without measures taken to control its spread it can be quite invasive. It can be trimmed to make a boxy geometric foundation plant or allowed to be more natural and can be used in ponds in water up to 4 inches deep, at the edge, or plant directly in the ground with occasional water (less water helps contain rampant spread). Horsetails show promise for use as ground covers for dikes, road cuts, abandoned strip mines and other bare areas and since they can absorb heavy metals, it may be useful as biological monitors of water or soil contamination by zinc, cadmium and lead. However, it is reported that horsetails can cause a serious poisoning, called equisetosis, in horses and for this reason may not be suitable for use around livestock.

It is often thought of as a hardy perennial but is technically a fern ally with ancestors dating back to the Carboniferous period of the Paleozoic Era, at which time the fossil record shows that they grew over 40 feet tall with the diameter of a large tree trunk. Similar to ferns, Equisetum have no flowers, rather they reproduce by vegetative methods (spreading rhizomes) or by emission of spores from spore-bearing cones, called strobili.

In its natural habit Equisetum hyemale is most often found in moist sandy or gravelly soils below 8,300 ft throughout Eurasia and North America. 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 cylindrical and hollow stems retain large quantities of silica, hence another common name Scouring Rush, which give them an abrasive quality which was used for centuries to smooth the shafts of arrows, polish suits of armor, fine finish work in watch making and cabinetry, scour barrels, and filing and polishing metals. This plant is considered a noxious weed in some locations and its importation into Australia and New Zealand is prohibited. 

Information displayed on this page about Equisetum hyemale is based on our research conducted about this plant in our nursery library as well as from information provided by reliable online resources. We also include our own observations made about it as it has grown in the nursery gardens and other gardens visited, as well how the crops of this plant performed in the containers in our nursery field. We will 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.