Equisetum arvense

Equisetum arvense is thought to be the oldest vascular plant genus, so ancient that Dinosaurs were most likely munching on this herbaceous perennial. Like an erect horse's tail, with tubular stems fronds sticking out from a main shoot, this prehistoric plant grows to about 1.5 ft tall, and may have up to 20 segments of side shoots. Spreads by rhizomes, and can take over a bit in a garden, but provides a trippy visual structure when planted in a container. Equisetum is a super healing plant. Medicinal uses include treating general kidney and bladder infections, balding, weak bones, brittle fingernails, and PMS. Native to California and is also found elsewhere in North America and beyond. Food for large mammals Equisetum is a "living fossil", as it is the only living genus of the entire class Equisetopsida, which for over one hundred million years was much more diverse and dominated the understory of late Paleozoic forests. Found in steambanks. Communitites located in Yellow Pine Forest, Red Fir Forest, Lodgepole Forest, Subalpine Forest, Foothill Woodland, Chaparral, Valley Grassland, Wetland-riparian Between 0 and 9500 feet.