Once you've got it, you've got it forever, in ever-increasing quantities. It's a declared noxious weed in many, many parts of the world. Check with the local authorities to make sure that in having it (or sharing it around!), you aren't breaking the law.

Tripple Brook Farm, a very good specialty mail-order nursery in western Massachusetts, sells several species of horsetail, though not arvense. Visit their Web site, click on Plant listings, then Search by name, and type Equisetum.

Is definatley on our Noxious weed list! 2 types in fact.

It is all over my area too and I'm forever digging it out of my beds...spreads via extensive underground root system (rhizomes). However I have heard it can be used to make a tea like chamomile to prevent damping-off in seedlings.

Vera

I keep mine in a pot & have had absolutely no problem with any invasiveness.

Yeah, I HAVE to have it in a pot... no way to keep it watered if it isn't in a pot! :o) much better that way...

Sorry to repost, but the other day I went to an area much cooler than mine & saw a field which horsetail had invaded. Someone apparently did not care about the plant or did not watch their field. Still, deadheading the spore heads & using a pot should control invasiveness.

So you all have Equisetum arvense not imposters.

We had it when we bought our place, in the garden which had been abandoned. There was a lot the first year, then as we fertilized and cultivated, it slowly disappeared over the next 2-3 years and now there is none. Changing soil conditions can change the wild plant population - yarrow has also disappeared. So it doesn't necessarily take over. Planting in a pot is a good idea if you're concerned - we do this with mints and nettle.

I CANT BELIEVE IT!
I am a greenhouse/nursery student and this past quarter (last day was friday!) I took Beginning Floral Design as an elective...guess what? Horsetail is BIG in the floral industry! It is used quite a bit in floral arrangements...specifically in line design.
E. arvense as well as E. hyemale are the two available to us, but there are 15 different species used :)
I'm going to leave the patch of E. hyemale alone in my yard now...shoot maybe I could arrange for the school to buy it from me! I'm cheaper LOL!

Vera

I'm looking for Equisetum arvense not it's sister and brother plants.

Unless you can tell me a health book or Herb book that has any of Equisetum arvense brothers and sister telling me that I can turn that brother or sister into tea, hair strengthener, and nail strengthener just like Equisetum arvense please tell me.

Then I might trade for one of Equisetum arvense brothers and sisters.
THANK YOU

Try the Pacific Northwest Exchange. The stuff is everywhere in Western Washington. It's considered a native there. Anyone should be able to run out into their backyard and(gladly)dig some up for you. It's one of the most persistant weeds in Washington gardens.

i have tons of it. please contact me.

Does anyone have equistem arvence (horsetail) they would like to sell to me? It grows all over Ohio I've read but I'll be darned if I can find any. I want to make tincture so I would rather have live plant(s). I'm just setting up my indoor garden so I have nothing to trade yet. Thanks!

Sunny, exchanges are not allowed in the discussion pages of the forums and sales are never allowed, period.

The Herb Forum does happen to have an exchange page, as you probably know. GardenWeb rules are that no money be exchanged for seeds or plants; no SASE, either.

I wish you luck finding your plants; I occasionally see E. arvense for sale in garden centers that offer a nice selection of herbs or native plants.

Know any gardeners or local gardening groups? Ask them. They may let you have it for free if you remove it for them. :)

FataMorgana

I would like the horsetail plant too.