Mare's Tail

Ease to Grow: Easy Dormancy: Yes Native Range: Wetlands of Northern North America Zones: 3-9 (2-10) Mare's Tail, Hippuris vulgaris, is an emergent perennial with spires of dark green leaves that resemble horsetail (Equisetum). The short leaves occur in whorls of 12 or more along the straight stem, giving the plant the appearance of a narrow green bottle brush or the tail of a green mare. Flowers are inconspicious and infrequent. It is winter hardy, and prefers growing along the water's edge. It is a prolific grower, tolerating a wide range of wet growing conditions. The rhizomes can grow rapidly, forming a nice colony of plants in a season. It is an excellent companion for bladderworts and Aldrovanda, providing dappled light, and organic matter to the water, essential for the development of micro organisms that become the prey for aquatic carnivorous plants. It is propagated from cuttings. For Mare's Tail, each portion is a rooted, growing plant and size refers to age: small (1 year), medium (2 years), large (3+ years old). Plants are shipped bare-root, wrapped in damp sphagnum moss. In it's dormant season, it will be shipped as a dormant rhizomes with trimmed leaves. Photographs are representative of species, and not the specific plant shipped. Height: 4"-8" Plant Type: Perennial, cold temperate Soil: Lower Bog Mix Soil pH: 5.5-7 Light: Full to Partial Sun Use: Tall water's edge aquatic bog plant