Field Horsetail - Equisetum arvense

Detailed Description

Field Horsetail is a traditional diuretic known to help mineralize the body and support relief from rheumatism or gout.

Botanical Information

Field Horsetail (Equisetum arvense) is a perennial, spore-bearing, non-flowering herb found in the Arctic and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere. The plant exhibits a distinctive seasonal dimorphism, producing two types of stems: a sterile, non-reproductive green stem, and a fertile, spore-bearing stem that arises from an underground rhizome. Stems may grow up to 90 cm high, with a diameter of 3–5 mm and internodes (segments) 2–5 cm long. Each segment produces a side branch with a spiral whorl, typically about 1 mm thick. The fertile stem is succulent, whitish, shallowly grooved, 10–30 cm tall, with a roughly matching diameter to the spring stem. Each node has a sheath composed of 4–8 brown, spirally arranged leaves with whorled branching, free ends, and toothed edges. The stem ends with a brown spore cone (strobilus) measuring 10–40 mm long and 4–10 mm wide.

Origin and Distribution

Field Horsetail is most commonly found in the cool and temperate regions of the northern hemisphere, thriving especially in Europe, most of Asia (except the tropics), and North America (notably California). Occurrences have also been reported in New Zealand and occasionally South Africa, as well as China, the Himalayas, and Greenland. In the Czech Republic, Field Horsetail grows from lowlands to mountain areas, typically as a field or meadow weed. It prefers moist, sandy-loamy soils on pastures, embankments, slopes, and forest edges as a weed species.

Usage / Dosage

Field Horsetail is rich in compounds such as silica minerals, sodium, and calcium. Its young shoots are a common seasonal vegetable in Japan and Korea. Historically, the plant has been used externally for minor frostbite and superficial wounds, and internally to help strengthen nails and as a mild abrasive. Early agricultural cultures also valued it for reducing excess moisture in crops, utilizing its high silica content to draw water from its environment.

Traditional Austrian and Central European medicine uses Field Horsetail internally as a tea, and externally as compresses and baths for skin problems, mobility disorders, kidney, urinary tract, and digestive issues, as well as rheumatism. Folk medicine advocates its use to support general exhaustion, tuberculosis, kidney and bladder inflammation, menstrual issues, pulmonary and uterine bleeding, hemorrhoids, stomach spasms, kidney stones, and cold-related cramps.

In folk tradition, Field Horsetail is highly regarded as a diuretic—especially helpful for inflammatory kidney conditions, as well as during recovery after infectious diseases when fluid drainage may be impaired, and for pyelitis and urinary tract inflammation. Regular consumption is believed to ease fluid buildup in the pericardium or pleura and swollen legs, symptoms often managed by modern diuretics.

Numerous herbal references recommend drinking Field Horsetail tea daily to help relieve mild symptoms or halt progression of rheumatism, gout, intestinal polyps, neuropathic pain, pulmonary tuberculosis, and possibly to support various types of cancer. Folk applications also include Field Horsetail extracts for gargling with tonsillitis, gum inflammation, and mild angina. Externally, decoctions are applied to slow-healing wounds, old infected sores, skin ulcers, varicose leg ulcers, itchy rashes, heel spurs, nail bed infections, swellings, post-shave rashes, dandruff, and heavy nosebleeds.

Thanks to its silica content, Field Horsetail provides notable healing and regenerative effects for external use in wound healing and inflammation. Additional constituents are believed to positively influence vascular elasticity and strength. As compresses and baths, Field Horsetail is also recommended for back and leg pain, sore throats, and when combined with other silica-rich herbs such as Knotweed or Stinging Nettle, may serve as a natural diuretic for healthy fluid management.

Some sources highlight that patients with cancer may have up to 15 times lower silica concentrations than the healthy population, suggesting a potential preventive or supportive role for Field Horsetail in cancer care by supplementing silica via herbal tea.

The European Union's national health authorities generally classify Field Horsetail as a safe herb but also as a therapeutically valid natural alternative for refreshing the body, maintaining normal respiratory health, boosting resistance to some respiratory infections, and supporting optimal skin, hair, and nail health by providing essential nutrients for healthy growth and function. Its enhanced calcium and mineral content also supports normal bone health, provides mineralization (of hair, nails, skin), and may help prevent some bone pathologies by regular supplementation.

Due to its concentrated compounds, urine output is increased, effectively cleansing the urinary tract, supporting health of the kidneys, urinary system, and liver, and mildly thinning the blood. Flavonoids contribute to maintaining vascular flexibility and healthy cardiovascular function.

Active Compounds

Field Horsetail contains a wide range of therapeutically valuable substances: it is rich in inorganic silica (e.g., silicic acid), complemented by potassium, aluminum, and calcium. The plant further contains flavonoids such as kaempferol, equisetonin, quercetin, and luteolin, as well as saponins, glycosides, tannins, flobafene, resins, volatile oils, bitters, alkaloids, fats, and organic acids.

Traditional Dosage

Dosage of Field Horsetail varies according to preparation method and intended use. Folk medicine recommends 1–2 teaspoons of dried herb per 250 ml of water—briefly boil, then steep for 15 minutes.
For atherosclerosis, boil the mixture for 15 minutes, strain, cool, and drink 1 cup of decoction 3 times daily.
For arthritis, prepare a bath using 100 g of Field Horsetail in 5 liters of water, macerated overnight, then boiled in the morning for 15 minutes, strained, and added to a bath diluted with water for a 20-minute soak.
Compresses for leg ulcers are made similarly.
For gout, infuse 1–2 teaspoons of the herb in 250 ml of boiling water for 5 minutes, strain, and drink 3 times daily. For hemorrhoids, use 2–3 teaspoons in the same way.
For wounds, apply compresses made from a decoction of 100 g of Field Horsetail boiled in 0.5 liters of water for 15 minutes, then strained and cooled.
For rheumatism, regularly drink tea made by steeping 1 teaspoon of the herb in 250 ml of water for 5 minutes; drink 1 cup daily, or make a steam wrap from 2 handfuls of loose herb, softening it over boiling water, then wrapping and applying to joints, ideally overnight. Baths for rheumatism are prepared in a similar manner.
For nosebleeds, wash with a decoction of 100 g herb in 0.5 L water boiled for 15 minutes—slightly salt if desired—and use a syringe to apply to the nasal cavity.