Horse Tails

Horse Tails has been described as a living fossil. It is the only surviving member of the class of plants known as Equisetopsida which dominated the forests 360 million years ago during the Carboniferous period. At a time when the dinosaurs still had to evolve Equisetopsida for 100 million years grew up to a height of 30m during which our coal deposits were laid down. In the lush undergrowth of Newton Woods it is easy to imagine these primeval forests in minature.

Horse Tails has deep rooted rhizomes and reproduce by spores. They have been used in a variety of medicinal recipes from the treatment of tuberculosis, wounds, bleeding and kidney disorders. Active ingredients are nicotine and silicon.