Horsetails
Alert
Have you seen Horsetails?
Be on the lookout for Horsetails and report it to Biosecurity Queensland. Early detection and reporting are the key elements in controlling Horsetails.
You must take reasonable action to minimise the risk of spreading Horsetails to ensure the situation isn't worsened.
You must report all sightings to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours.
Call us on 13 25 23.
Horsetails infestation
© Queensland Government
Horsetails plant close-up of stem
© Queensland Government
Horsetails segemented stems
© Queensland Government
Native to much of the world, including temperate parts of Europe, North America and Asia, the horsetail group includes about 30 different species in the genus Equisetum. Horsetails are serious invasive plants in many places, and Australia is one of the few countries that is still free of major infestations.
While there are no known wild populations of horsetails in Queensland, they are occasionally grown as garden plants and herbs. Horsetails have the potential to escape cultivation and become a serious pest.
Scientific name
Other names
- Candock, scouring-rush
Description
- 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.
Habitat
- 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.
Distribution
- Recorded only as garden plant to date.
Life cycle
- Grows from early spring until autumn.
- Reproduces from spores.
Impacts
Environmental
- Forms pure stands over extensive areas, mainly in wetlands and low-lying crops.
How it is spread
- Spreads mostly by vegetative means.
Prevention
Control
- Before undertaking any preventative or control actions, contact our Customer Service Centre.
Legal requirements
- 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.