cadecampbell's Identifications

"Use of rough horsetail by past people includes its importance as a medicinal and edible plant. Past Native American groups boiled the stalks of rough horsetail to create a diuretic to treat a variety of diseases. In culinary uses, the stalks of rough horsetail can be cooked much like asparagus or fried; the rootstocks can also be eaten. Additionally, the stems, high in silica content, were used by American Indians and early Euroamerican settlers for scouring and polishing pots and pans and could be used for sanding wooden objects, like arrow shafts or floor planks. However, large quantities of rough horsetail ingested by humans or grazing animals can be toxic. In small quantities this plant will not harm people, and the toxicity can be destroyed by heat or thorough drying." UT McClung Museum of Natural History