There are many different types of horsetail. Some of them are poisonous - especially for grazing animals. These are only marsh horsetail and varieties that grow on ponds. Field horsetail or horsetail, on the other hand, is not poisonous and can even be eaten.
Field horsetail is not only completely non-toxic but even edible and beneficial
Only marsh horsetail species are poisonous
Marsh horsetail is one of the poisonous plants. All parts of the plant contain the alkaloids equisetin and palustrine, which are very toxic, especially for grazing animals. But people can also get poisoned if they drink horsetail as tea or eat it in salads.
Caution is therefore required when collecting in nature. Both horsetail species look very similar and can only be distinguished from each other by small features.
It is best to only collect horsetail for consumption in meadows and fields where there are no damp depressions in the ground or even ponds.
Horsetail is edible
Horsetail or horsetail does not contain any toxic substances, but it does contain a lot of silicic acid, which plays an important role in natural medicine and cosmetics.
The herb can even be eaten in spring. The brown and green shoots can be eaten as part of a salad or steamed as a vegetable. The Japanese even pickle horsetail and enjoy it as a delicacy. Brown shoots have a slight mushroom taste, while green shoots are very bitter and should be watered first.
In naturopathy, horsetail is used because of its valuable ingredients for the treatment of inflammation and in cosmetics for hair and teeth. The ingredients include:
- silica
- tannins
- flavonoids
- essential oils
- potassium
tips
Horsetail or horsetail can be used to make a very liquid manure that is ideal as a fertilizer for many garden plants. Experienced gardeners treat their roses with horsetail broth to prevent powdery mildew.