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Horsetails, including Field horsetail and Rough horsetail (Equisetum spp) are fern-like, colony forming perennial weeds. They spread by way of rhizomatous roots. They are becoming more common and widespread in New Zealand.
Horsetail is regarded as one of the most difficult weeds to get rid of. It forms colonies of upright shoots with whorls of needle-like leaf/branches at intervals up the stems giving the plant a brush or horse tail like appearance. The rhizomatous roots spread through the soil and send up new stems at intervals. The above ground shoots die back in winter and new ones grow from the roots each spring.