Horsetails

• Primitive, non-woody, herbaceous plant growing 5–120cm tall (scouring rush horsetail up to 120cm, common horsetail up to 80cm).
• Many horsetails have the appearance of miniature bamboo.
• Leaves are greatly reduced, non-photosynthetic, grow in whorls of 6–18 on the main shoots, are fused part of length into nodal sheaths.
• Plant does not flower.
• Stems are green and photosynthetic, hollow, jointed, ridged, with sometimes 3 but usually 6–40 ridges.
• Fruiting cones 1–4cm long grow at ends of stems and produce pale-greenish to yellow spores.

• Generally found in moist habitats such as edges of lakes, rivers and creeks, ditches, seepage areas, meadows, pastures, marshes, and wet woodlands.
• Prefers disturbed areas.

• Recorded only as garden plant to date.

• Grows from early spring until autumn.
• Reproduces from spores.

Environmental

• Forms pure stands over extensive areas, mainly in wetlands and low-lying crops.

• Spreads mostly by vegetative means.

• Find out how farmers can prevent weed spread.
• Find out how gardeners and outdoor enthusiasts can prevent weed spread.

• Before undertaking any preventative or control actions, contact our Customer Service Centre.

• Horsetails is a prohibited invasive plant under the Biosecurity Act 2014.
• You must not keep, move, give away, sell or release into the environment. Penalties may apply.
• You must not take any action reasonably likely to exacerbate the biosecurity threat posed by horsetails.
• You must take any action that is reasonably likely to minimise the biosecurity threat posed by horsetails.
• You must report all sightings to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours.