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Common horsetail (Equisetum arvense)

Common horsetail is an introduced, rhizome-forming weed assessed as invasive in Victoria. It can grow among crops and in established pastures, and can form dense, self-sustaining stands.

Key facts

Type: Weed, herb.

Native to: Temperate regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Established in: NSW.

Other names: Field horsetail.

Best time to act: Look for fertile, spore-bearing stems in late spring.

Identification

  • It has upright, jointed stems with distinct segments.
  • Green stems have slender branches arranged in whorls around the stem.
  • Fertile stems carry a cone-like, spore-bearing spike at the tip.
  • Fertile stems appear in late spring; the stems are annual, while the rhizomes persist.

Where it grows

In Victoria it occurs in fruit-growing areas, among cereals, potatoes and other vegetables, in established pastures, and in wet places such as marshy areas and wet meadows.

Why it matters

  • It can establish in vigorously growing crops, including cereals and potatoes, and is also problematic in established pastures.
  • It can form dense, self-sustaining monocultures.
  • It can grow in wet places, including shallow ponds, marshy areas and wet meadows.

How it spreads

  • It reproduces mostly by persistent rhizomes, which can grow and reproduce when water is available.
  • It also produces spores on fertile stems; the spores are very light and can be carried by wind.
  • The assessment estimates spores may disperse 200 to 1,000 metres.

Control options

  • The assessment does not provide a control prescription; seek advice from the relevant local weed authority.
  • Use only registered herbicides or approved methods suitable for the site.
  • Avoid moving rhizomes or contaminated soil from infested areas to clean sites.
  • Check treated areas again because rhizomes persist.

Hygiene and washdown

  • Clean soil and plant material from boots, machinery and tools before leaving an infested site.
  • Do not move soil or plant material that may contain rhizomes to uninfested areas.
  • Inspect and clean vehicles, plant and footwear before leaving an infested area, paying attention to tyres, radiators, belly plates, tracks and floor mats.
  • Wash down at a designated bay where runoff is contained and can be monitored for seedlings.
  • Record each washdown so the client has evidence of clean entry and exit.

Classification by state

  • Australia (national): No national listing. Managed under state and territory law.
  • Queensland: Prohibited matter. Report it to Biosecurity Queensland on 13 25 23 within 24 hours and do not move or deal with it. Everyone must also take all reasonable and practical steps to minimise its risks (the general biosecurity obligation).
  • New South Wales: Not a priority weed. Not a state or regional priority weed in NSW. The general biosecurity duty applies: anyone dealing with it must prevent, eliminate or minimise the risk it poses.
  • Victoria: Not declared. Not declared under the Catchment and Land Protection Act 1994. Other Victorian laws may still apply.
  • South Australia: Declared plant. Depending on the declaration, it can be an offence to move it on public roads or sell it, and landowners may be required to control it on their land.
  • Western Australia: Declared pest (C1), prohibited. C1 Exclusion: to be kept out of WA, or out of the parts of WA where it is not established. Report any sighting to DPIRD. It must not be brought into WA (prohibited organism).
  • Tasmania: Declared weed. Property managers are required by law to control declared weeds, and their import and sale are prohibited.
  • Northern Territory: Declared weed. Weeds Australia lists it as a declared weed in the NT under the Weeds Management Act 2001. Check the NT declared weeds list for its class and what it requires.
  • Australian Capital Territory: Notifiable, prohibited. You must report it to ACT Biosecurity. Dealing with it, such as selling, moving or keeping it, is prohibited.

Legal obligations

Every state and territory places a duty on landholders and people working on land to prevent the spread of invasive species, such as the general biosecurity obligation in Queensland and the general biosecurity duty in New South Wales. Declarations and control requirements differ between states and local government areas, so check the current official list before work starts.

  • New South Wales: Biosecurity Act 2015 (NSW), administered by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development

Sources