Horsetail is a survivor in every sense of the word and plants grow in many habitats. For unknown reasons, horsetail infestations are becoming more common in Wisconsin. Description Field horsetail is a perennial with a spreading rhizome system that produces numerous shoots and tubers. Rhizomes grow vertically to 6 feet deep and horizontally to depths of 10 to 20 inches. The horizontal rhizomes branch freely, produce numerous shoots and form rounded tubers about 0.5 inch in diameter either singly or in pairs.
Plants produce two types of stems.
These stem sections are easily pulled apart and can be rejoined like sections of a stove pipe. Fertile stems wither and die once spores have been produced, usually by early summer. They look like miniature pine trees with their plume-like branches. In general, horsetail appears most commonly in acidic and wet soil conditions. Buds and tubers on the rhizomes are capable of reaching the surface from great depths.