Equisetum sylvaticum L.

Native

Wood Horsetail is a deciduous, colony-forming herb which generally grows on deep, mildly acidic, often peaty soils that are kept permanently damp by flushing. It occurs on the lower slopes of mountain valleys, steep streamsides, wet ledges and open flushes, beside lakes and on the edges of drainage ditches. It also occurs on wet road verges and railway embankments (C. Dixon & T. D. Dines in Preston et al, 2002).

Wood Horsetail is known in two areas of wet woodland at a single Norfolk site, Holt Lowes.  There are 19th century records for five other localities, mainly around Norwich (Nicholson, 1914).