Horsetail comes in many different types. Some of them are poisonous - especially to 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.
Is horsetail poisonous or edible?
Horsetail comes in different species, although only the marsh horsetail is poisonous, especially to grazing animals. The edible field horsetail or horsetail contains no toxic substances and can be consumed as a salad ingredient or vegetable.
Only marsh horsetail species are poisonous
Swamp horsetail is a poisonous plant. All parts of the plant contain the alkaloids equisetin and palustrin, which are particularly toxic to grazing animals. But people can also become poisoned if they drink horsetail in tea or eat it in salad.
Caution is therefore advised when collecting from nature. Both types of horsetail 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 that do not have any damp depressions or even ponds.
Field horsetail is edible
Field horsetail or horsetail contains no toxic substances, but it does contain a lot of silica, which plays a major role in natural medicine and cosmetics.
The herb can even be eaten in spring. The brown and green shoots can be added to salads or eaten 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 natural medicine, field horsetail is used for the treatment of inflammation because of its valuable ingredients and in cosmetics for hair and teeth. Ingredients include:
- Silica
- tannins
- Flavonoids
- essential oils
- Potassium
Tip
A very liquid manure can be made from field horsetail or horsetail, which is ideal as a fertilizer for many garden plants. Experienced gardeners treat their roses with horsetail broth to prevent powdery mildew diseases.
