Description of Equisetum hyemale (Dutch Rush)

Equisetum hyemale is rough horsetail, also sold as Dutch rush. It’s a tough marginal that gives clean vertical lines and stays interesting for most of the year.

Appearance

It grows as upright green stems with dark bands at the joints. Stems feel rough to the touch. In good conditions it reaches 60 to 120cm, sometimes taller, and forms a dense stand.

Care Guide

Give it constant moisture and you’ll get the best stems.

• Sun: Full sun to part shade.
• Soil: Wet soil or shallow water. Aquatic compost in a basket works well.
• Water: Keep saturated. It sulks if the root zone dries.
• Control: Contain it. Use a solid pot or root barrier because it spreads by rhizomes.
• Tidy: Cut out old or damaged stems in spring.

For a tidy clump, lift the pot every couple of years and trim the outer rhizomes.

Suitability for Bog Garden

This suits bog gardens where you want structure, especially beside still water. It’s best in medium to large beds, or in a contained pot in smaller bogs.

Use it behind lower plants so the stems read like a backdrop.

FAQ