Common horsetail question

Hi all,
I just dragged home an Equisetum hyemale 'Robustum' , Giant Horsetail, for my pond. In researching after the fact, never a good time to research anything, I am discovering that it will do ok in the pond, if the crown is not covered in water. Here is my question...the Equisetum fluviatile is a true aquatic and will not invade the entire neighborhood with little baby horsetails. What about the E. hyemale? Will I have little spore-created monsters popping up all over my yard? I know the basic drainage ditch horsetails are almost impossible to get rid of, and I don't want to do the same thing to my yard. I do have 7 days to change my mind and trade it for something else...

Any ideas?
Jen

 

All of them spread to form patches when allowed to. I have seen large colonies of scouring rush on local hillsides.

 

Can you post a photo?

Rough Horsetail Equisetum hyemale can be distinguished by having plain stems with no side shoots; it isn't very invasive.

 

Here they are...what do you think? It has no side shoots at all at the moment, but might that be because it is early in the season?

Thanks for the help,
Jen

 

Scouring rush. Do not let this one loose unless you want a lot of it.

 

If it is potted and in an artificial pond, will it still travel? I know they reproduce by spores....so I am out of luck, aren't I?
Jen

 

I don't see any problem occurring. Reproduction by spores is rare.

Looks very large for Equisetum hyemale (Rough Horsetail); wondering if it might be Equisetum giganteum? Compare here: http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Equisetum_giganteum_6_ies.jpg

 

Could well be. My little pot of it is a good 3' tall already. The tag labels it as Equisetum hyemale var. robustum, and calls for a height of 4-5', which looks about the size of the one in the link you sent. I will play on the 'net a little later and see what other info I can find on giganteum...the sun is out and I have to get the tomatoes in the ground before it is time to make dinner! If I get my chores done today I get to play in the pond tomorrow :)

Thanks,
Jen

 

>I get to play in the pond tomorrow<

It's not THAT warm!

 

If it were anyone but me, I'd go with 'play with the pond', or 'work on the pond', but being the walking disaster that I am, I can't seem to go near it without ending up either head first in the water, or up to my knees in it, messing with something or other...

And, since I got the veggies planted, I get to play IN the pond tomorrow!!! Yea!

Jen