Interesting facts

The scientific name Equisetum derives from the Latin equus = horse and seta = animal hair and describes the stiff stalks of the horsetail. The species name arvense comes from the Latin word arva = field. The English name Field Horsetail is thus a direct translation from the Latin.
The mighty forests of the ancestors of the horsetail in the Carboniferous era have been transformed over millions of years into coal and today make up our coal reserves.
Horsetail became famous for its blood-staunching properties. The Roman scholar Pliny the Elder (23–79) asserted that just holding horsetail in your hand was enough to staunch a bleed. For a long time the horsetail suffered neglect, but Sebastian Kneipp (1821–1897) revived interest in it and used it to heal wounds and treat rheumatism and gout.
Conventional farming views the field horsetail as a weed to be attacked with herbicides if it becomes too widespread. However, it only gets out of control if the ground has been compressed by heavy machinery or poor husbandry. Gardeners working in accordance with biodynamic principles, in contrast, welcome field horsetail. They use it to prepare aqueous extracts with which they treat their cultures. The silicic acid firms the surface of leaves, giving them protection against mildew, for instance.
Field horsetail is not only useful in medicine and personal care: the cone-bearing stems which sprout in spring and are the first signs of horsetail growth are edible. They can be made into soups, salads, omelettes and savoury puddings. However, anyone wanting to harvest them must be able to distinguish field horsetail from its very poisonous relative, the marsh horsetail.
Green horsetail stems can be used to dye wool and eggs a yellowish-green colour. The silicic acid in these sterile shoots makes the surface of the horsetail so hart that it can be used to polish metal: pewter, aluminium and copper gleam. Makers of fine woodwork and instrument makers also use this natural sandpaper to smooth fine woods.