Horsetail (Equisetum spp.) care guide

Group
Plants
Other names
Horsetails, Scouring rush, Snake grass, Puzzlegrass, Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile)
Family
Equisetaceae (horsetail family)
Origin
Almost worldwide, mainly the non-tropical northern hemisphere; absent from Australia, New Zealand and Antarctica
Water
freshwater
Care level
expert

Care

Warning: horsetails are marsh and land plants, not true aquarium plants. Kept fully submerged they slowly die; grow them emersed, with only their roots and lower stems in water, in a pond margin, bog garden or paludarium. Horsetails are an ancient group of spore-bearing plants, the only living genus of their family. They have hollow, jointed, ridged green stems, either unbranched (scouring rushes) or with whorls of thin branches, usually 20 cm to 1.5 m tall; giant subtropical species can be much taller. Most temperate species die back in winter, while a few, such as Equisetum hyemale, stay green. Water horsetail (Equisetum fluviatile) is the species that grows rooted in water with its shoots in the air. They are mostly plants of cool climates and suit outdoor ponds better than heated tanks. Water figures are not given by the sources. Some species are poisonous to grazing animals if eaten over time. Field horsetail is a stubborn garden weed, and horsetails are listed as noxious or unwanted in Australia and New Zealand. Never release this plant or dispose of it in drains or waterways; it is invasive in some countries. Sources: Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equisetum); Wikipedia, List of freshwater aquarium plant species. Checked October 2026.

Breeding

Spreads by creeping underground rhizomes, which can be divided in spring. It also produces spores in cone-like heads at the stem tips, but these are short-lived and seldom used.

Compatibility and tank mates

Do not sell or buy it as a true aquarium plant. Fish and snails do not eat it; it suits pond margins, bog gardens and paludariums.

Last updated 8 October 2026. Community-edited care guide on Aquatic-Auctions.

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