Horsetail (Equisetum arvense or E. arvense) is a perennial herb in the Equisetaceae family of plants. Perennial means a plant returns every year and usually lives at least two years. Considered a weed, the horsetail plant is invasive and can spread through an area of land quickly, thus making it hard to get rid of once it is in your garden.

• The horsetail plant is like a fern. It has hollow, pointed stems and scaly leaves. Horsetail grows to be about 1 foot tall.

• It grows wild in northern Europe and North and Central America, as well as in other moist places with temperate climates. It has a long, green, densely branched stem that grows from spring to fall.

• Horsetail is mostly consumed in the form of tea, which is made by steeping the dried herb in hot water. It’s also available in capsule and tincture form.