Horsetail

Identity

Common Name

Horsetail

Scientific Name

Equisetum arvense

Botanical Family

Equisetaceae

Native Region

Temperate regions worldwide

Cultivation Regions

Europe, Asia, North America, temperate regions

Plant Parts Used

Sterile green stems

Synonyms

Shavegrass, Bottlebrush, Scouring Rush

Caffeine Level

Caffeine Free

A prehistoric-looking perennial with two stems — a fertile pale brown unbranched stalk tipped with a conical spore cone, and a sterile green stem with whorls of fine needle-like jointed branches; the sterile green stems are used.

Historical Background

Horsetail is a living fossil of an ancient plant family, used in European and Roman herbalism since Galen as a silica-rich urinary and wound herb. Its jointed green stems brew a mild, slightly astringent tea traditionally sipped for urinary and connective-tissue traditions.

Earliest recorded uses: Used in European and Roman herbalism for millennia; a source of silica and a urinary tradition herb since Galen.

Traditional Uses

These uses document historical traditions and do not imply proven effectiveness.

Flavor & Aroma

Aroma: Mild, slightly astringent, green, grassy

Tea Information

Research Summary

Horsetail has a tradition for urinary and connective-tissue support as a silica source. Clinical evidence is insufficient; it is not a treatment for UTI, osteoporosis, kidney stones, or any disease, and long-term use may strain the kidneys or deplete electrolytes.

Evidence levels reflect the currently available scientific literature and may change as new research emerges. Where evidence is limited or conflicting, this is stated plainly.

References & Sources