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Can I grow Equisetum hyemale(scouring horsetail) in my bog garden?

Is it ok to plant scouring horsetail in a bog garden? Some websites say not to touch it with a bargepole, some say to containerise it and others say it is fine as long as you don't mind it spreading. Can anyone help with this?
  • Be careful once you have it it is very invasive,really difficult to kill,perhaps as difficult as anything.

  • What about greater pond sedge? Carex riparia

  • Also there does seem to be some confusion in terms of invasive. There seems to me to be invasive in the sense that a plant spreads enthusiastically. And then there are plants that that actually agressive and hard to control. Is equisetum hyemale the former or the latter? I don't mind if it just spreads around a bit.

  • I consider horsetail aggressive and almost impossible to kill,probably the only way may be Roundup but real risk to neighbouring plants however careful you are also  I think it is terribly irritating to some or perhaps everyone's skin.It is the worst plant I have ever come across.

  • The neighbours will not thank you if you plant it in the ground since it can spread into their garden as well as yours!  Equisetum can push its way up through tarmac.  There was some growing near us through a paved path and it took nearly a decade for the council to discourage it.  However, it is a fascinating and ancient plant so if you must have it, it might be best to use a container and keep it monitored just to be sure it is not escaping!

  • Thank you for your help. In the end I ordered glyceria maxima variegata(reed sweetgrass), yellow skunk cabbage, greater pond sedge, equisetum scirpoides and equisetum giganteum (dark stems) all from lilies water gardens. The giganteum is actually a taller growing hyemale which is sterile and less invasive. I am also used to the smaller native equisetum fluviatile. Which I already have growing in the bog garden.

  • Hi Jack, Yellow skunk cabbage is another name for American skunk cabbage, they are pretty plants but they are listed as invasive as well as being non-native, be careful with that one, confine it if you can!

    The Carex riparia should be a nice addition, good luck with the horsetails, the dwarf variety and the sterile variety will hopefully not cause you or your neighbours any problems. 

    Post a picture if you get a chance, we would be interested to see how it looks!

  • Yes I looked up American skunk cabbage last night. I do think that there should be more control of the selling of invasive aquatic plants. It took me quite a while to find the information. And by that point I had already made the order.