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Weed Identification in Nurseries and Landscapes

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Field horsetail - Equisetum arvense L.
Weed Identification in Nurseries and Landscapes > Field horsetail
Field horsetail fruiting stalk. Close-up of vegetative stem of field horsetail.
Field horsetail fruiting stalk. Close-up of vegetative stem of field horsetail.
  Life cycle: Perennial spore-producing plant.

Leaves: Not present.

Flowers and fruit: Erect, unbranched, white to brown fruiting stalks (stems) bear terminal spore-releasing cones. Flowers are not produced.

Stems: Vegetative stems are green and branch in whorls. Stems may have a bottle-brush appearance and should not exceed 2 feet in height. Stems die back to the ground in winter.
Similar weeds: Scouringrush (E. hyemale L.)
Differs by having larger evergreen stems with little or no branching. Grows only in wet areas.

Vegetative stem. Vegetative stem. Field horsetail fruiting and vegetative stems.
Field horsetail vegetative stem. Patch of field horsetail fruiting and vegetative stems.
The MSU IPM Program maintains this site as an access point to pest management information at MSU. The IPM Program is administered within the Department of Entomology, fueled by research from the Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, delivered to citizens through MSU Extension, and proud to be a part of Project GREEEN.
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Updated: 10/17/07