Description: This is the largest of the horsetails. In early spring it produces new unbranched whitish shoots which terminate in large spore-producing cones. These are followed by the vegetative shoots which when mature have a central upright whitish main stem and a large number of long, fine, drooping side-branches. The plant is frequent on hedgebanks and slopes across Northern Ireland, especially common near the coast in the east and in Co Fermanagh.

All names: Equisetum telmateia Ehrh.; Equisetum maximum auct.

Distribution Map from NBN: Equisetum telmateia at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Equisetum telmateia at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.