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Great Horsetail

About Great Horsetail

Great Horsetail is a relatively rare houseplant 🌿 that needs regular watering to thrive. They do best in long-lasting, direct light ☀️ and should be less than 1 foot from a window.

Great Horsetail likes soil that is well draining.

⚠️ Great Horsetail is extremely dangerous if consumed. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian immediately. These plants are not recommended for homes with children, cats, or dogs.

Taxonomy

Scientific name

Equisetum telmateia

Genus

Equisetum

Family

Equisetaceae

Order

Equisetales

Also known as

Northern giant horsetail and "giant horsetail"

How to care for Great Horsetail

💦 Water

How often to water your Great Horsetail

Great Horsetail needs 0.5 cups of water every 9 when it doesn’t get direct sunlight and is potted in a 5" pot.

Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Water 0.5 cups every
9

Does your plant get direct sunlight?

No Yes

Select the pot size

☀️ Light

Finding light for Great Horsetail in your home

Great Horsetail love being close to bright, sunny windows 😎.

Place it less than 1ft from a south-facing window to maximize the potential for growth.

Great Horsetail does not tolerate low-light 🚫.

Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement of Great Horsetail in your home 🏡.

🪴 Nutrients

How to fertilize Great Horsetail

Nutrient, fertilizer, and repotting needs for Great Horsetail: repot after 2X growth

Most potting soils come with ample nutrients which plants use to produce new growth.

By the time your plant has depleted the nutrients in its soil it’s likely grown enough to need a larger pot anyway.

To replenish this plant's nutrients, repot your Great Horsetail after it doubles in size or once a year—whichever comes first.

Seeing that my plant started taking over the entire yard, I pulled them all up and placed them back in the orinigal pot and then buried the pot back in the dirt #CommonScouringRush

Browse #GreatHorsetail

💡 FAQs

💦 Water Needs

Great Horsetail prefers for the soil to dry out between waterings and should be watered regularly. Use our water calculator to personalize watering recommendations to your environment or download Greg for more advanced recommendations for all of your plants.

Great Horsetail Water Frequency →

Great Horsetail Root Rot →

☀️ Sunlight Needs

Great Horsetail requires abundant, bright and direct light. Place it less than one foot from a window to ensure it receives enough light to survive 💪. Select your region to see how the current weather in your area affects the placement in your home 🏡.

Great Horsetail Light Requirements →

Great Horsetail Direct Sunlight Needs & Tolerance →

🐶 🐈 👶 Toxicity

Great Horsetail is extremely dangerous if consumed. If you, a family member, or a pet has ingested any amount of plant material contact Poison Control, US (800) 222-1222, or your veterinarian immediately. Great Horsetail is not recommended for homes with children, cats, or dogs.

🪴 Soil

Great Horsetail does best in well-draining soil. A good soil will contain lots of organic matter such as coco coir as well as perlite or vermiculite to help with drainage. Adding a handful of perlite to regular store-bought potting soil should do the trick!

Best Soil Mix for Great Horsetail →

When and How to Successfully Repot Great Horsetail →

What Are Healthy Great Horsetail Roots →

⬆️ ⬇️ Growth Pattern

Great Horsetail grows vertically and new growth will emerge from the top of the plant.

Great Horsetail Lifecycle →

Great Horsetail Size Guide →

How and When to Prune Great Horsetail →

🌦️ Growing Outdoors

USDA Hardiness Zone
Great Horsetail can be grown outdoors in USDA Hardiness Zones 4a-9b. Find your local hardiness zone here.

Great Horsetail Temperature Tolerance →

Great Horsetail Hardiness Zones →

Is Great Horsetail a Weed? →

🍂 Yellow Leaves

Yellow leaves aren’t always a reason to panic, and can be a normal part of a plant’s life cycle. Unless brand new leaves are turning yellow or all the leaves change color at once, it’s likely just your plant shedding old leaves.

Overwatering and root rot are the most likely cause of problems in Great Horsetail, since they are sensitive to wet soil. The leaves may also appear to be curling or drooping. Less often, yellow leaves are caused by underwatering, nutrient deficiencies, or pests.

Replace soggy soil with fresh, dry soil and download Greg to make sure your plant never gets overwatered again!

🧐 Troubleshooting

When troubleshooting a sad-looking houseplant, start by checking for signs of distress in its leaves, such as yellowing, browning, or drooping, which can indicate overwatering or nutrient deficiencies.

Inspect the soil moisture; too dry or too wet soil can cause problems.

Ensure the plant is getting the right amount of light, as too much or too little can stress it.

Finally, consider environmental factors like temperature and humidity, and adjust care routines accordingly to revive your plant.