Equisetaceae
Smooth horsetail
Equisetum laevigatum
- Family
- Equisetaceae
- Genus
- Equisetum
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Common names
By language (1)
- English
- Smooth horsetail
Synonyms
- Equisetum fontinale Copel.
- Equisetum funstonii A.A.Eaton
- Equisetum funstonii f. caespitosum A.A.Eaton
- Equisetum funstonii f. nudum A.A.Eaton
- Equisetum funstonii f. polystachyum A.A.Eaton
- Equisetum funstonii f. ramosum A.A.Eaton
- Equisetum funstonii var. caespitosum (A.A.Eaton) Jeps.
- Equisetum funstonii var. nudum (A.A.Eaton) Jeps.
- Equisetum funstonii var. ramosum (A.A.Eaton) Jeps.
- Equisetum kansanum J.H.Schaffn.
- Equisetum kansanum f. caespiticum (Farw.) M.Broun
- Equisetum kansanum f. caespitosum (A.A.Eaton) M.Broun
- Equisetum kansanum f. polystachyum (A.A.Eaton) M.Broun
- Equisetum kansanum f. ramosum (A.A.Eaton) M.Broun
- Equisetum kansanum f. variegatoides (A.A.Eaton) M.Broun
- Equisetum laevigatum f. caespitosum A.A.Eaton
- Equisetum laevigatum f. polystachum (A.A.Eaton) A.A.Eaton
- Equisetum laevigatum f. ramosum A.A.Eaton
- Equisetum laevigatum f. scabrellum (Engelm.) M.Broun
- Equisetum laevigatum f. scabrellum (A.Braun & Engelm.) Milde
- Equisetum laevigatum f. variegatoides A.A.Eaton
- Equisetum laevigatum subsp. funstonii (A.A.Eaton) E.L.Hartm.
- Equisetum laevigatum var. scabrellum A.Braun & Engelm.
- Equisetum praealtum var. laevigatum (A.Braun & Engelm.) Bush
- Hippochaete laevigata (A.Braun & Engelm.) Farw.
- Hippochaete laevigata var. caespitica Farw.
- Hippochaete laevigata var. caespitosa (A.A.Eaton) Farw.
- Hippochaete laevigata var. funstonii (A.A.Eaton) Farw.
- Hippochaete laevigata var. polystachya (A.A.Eaton) Farw.
- Hippochaete laevigata var. ramosa (A.A.Eaton) Farw.
- Hippochaete laevigata var. variegatoides (A.A.Eaton) Farw.
- Hippochaete praealta var. scabrella (A.Braun & Engelm.) Farw.
Flowers
- Flower colour
- green (USDA PLANTS Database)
Characteristics
- Growth habit
- Forb/herb
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- In the US and Canada
- Canada: native, Lower 48 states: native
Toxicity: Moderate, as listed by the USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29). USDA rates how toxic a plant is to people or livestock; it is not a pet-safety rating, so ask a vet or poison line if a pet or child ate it.
Photos
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: maya bergman, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Dillon Keller, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Matt Lavin from Bozeman, Montana, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: cathleen kruk, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: cactus4you, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: austin liebler, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF 
Photo: Patrick Alexander from Las Cruces, NM, CC0, from Wikimedia Commons Photo: Catalin Gruia, CC BY-SA 4.0, from Pl@ntNet via GBIF
More in Equisetum
- Field horsetailEquisetum arvenseEquisetaceae
- Marsh horsetailEquisetum palustreEquisetaceae
- Great horsetailEquisetum telmateiaEquisetaceae
- Water horsetailEquisetum fluviatileEquisetaceae
- Rough horsetailEquisetum hyemaleEquisetaceae
- Meadow horsetailEquisetum pratenseEquisetaceae
- Branched scouringrushEquisetum ramosissimumEquisetaceae
- Wood horsetailEquisetum sylvaticumEquisetaceae
- Variegated scouringrushEquisetum variegatumEquisetaceae
- Southern giant horsetailEquisetum giganteumEquisetaceae
- Dwarf scouringrushEquisetum scirpoidesEquisetaceae
- Mexican giant horsetailEquisetum myriochaetumEquisetaceae
Sources: classification, synonyms from World Flora Online Plant List (2026-06, CC0 1.0); common names, popularity from Wikidata (2026-10-26, CC0 1.0); common names, US characteristics from USDA PLANTS Database (2025-05-29, CC0 1.0). About our plant data.