RHH's photos with the keyword: equisetum

The giant Horsetail, Equisetum telmateia, grows in damp, shady areas. This was photographed at the ponds in Sharpe Park on a hike there last spring. This is one of the spore-bearing fertile stems. A little later in the season the plant produces sterile but photosynthetic stems with feathery green foliage. The plant is widely used medicinally.

Didn't know whether to post this or not, but thought I'd let you all judge. ---During the Middle Ages bunches of horsetail were often used as scouring pads to clean iron and pewter pans, kitchen utensils and pewter, because of its high silicon content. It has also been used by cabinet makers as a fine sandpaper for polishing wood. ---There are records of horsetail's history of use as a herbal remedy as far back as ancient Roman and Greek times. The correct species of horsetail must be used and there are dangers in using any horsetail species. Horsetail is a diuretic. It helps to eliminate water from the body, this can cause dehydration and for people who are on some medications such as lithium, dehydration is dangerous. Horsetail can cause loss of potassium for people with heart problems or others who are using medications based on digitalis this can be dangerous. Quoted from: www.thewesternisles.co.uk/wildflowers/horsetail.htm

I believe this is one of the Horsetails. It was photographed in the wetlands area of Sharpe Park near Anacortes, Washington, on Fidalgo Island. ronaldhanko-orchidhunter.blogspot.com/2013/04/sharpe-park...