Horsetail is a non-flowering, evergreen, ornamental “grass” that craves shade and moisture. This distinctive plant has the rare ability to thrive in a wide range of soils, especially boggy, poorly drained soils that tend to pose a problem for most desert adapted trees and shrubs. It can be submerged in water along edges of ponds or water features, and does well in containers, where it serves as a finely-textured vertical accent.
In Tucson, Horsetail will usually stay green year-round, becoming darker green in winter and standing out dramatically against the surrounding dormant landscape. Though referred to as a “reed” or “grass”, this plant produces spores rather than flowers with pollen, which makes it more like a fern!
Height: 3 – 4 feet
Width: 1 – 6+ feet
Bloom color: n/a
Flowering season: n/a
USDA minimum zone: 4
Cold hardiness: -20° F
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