Content
- Which horsetail is poisonous?
- Only marsh horsetail species are poisonous
- Field horsetail is edible
- Tips
Field horsetail is not only completely non-toxic but even edible and curative
Which horsetail is poisonous?
Horsetail comes in many different ways. Some of them are poisonous - especially for grazing animals. These are only marsh horsetail and varieties that grow on ponds. Field horsetail or horsetail on the other hand is not poisonous and may even be eaten.
Only marsh horsetail species are poisonous
Marsh horsetail belongs to the poison plants. It contains in all parts of the plant the alkaloids equisetin and palustrine, which are very poisonous especially for grazing animals. But people can also poison themselves if they drink marsh horsetail tea or eat in a salad.
Caution should be exercised when collecting in nature. Both horsetail species look very similar and can only be distinguished from one another by small features.
For horseradish, horsetail should only be collected on meadows and fields where there are no moist depressions or even ponds.
Field horsetail is edible
Horsetail or horsetail contains no toxic substances, but much silica, which plays a major role in natural medicine and cosmetics.
The herb can even be eaten in the spring. The brown and green shoots can be eaten as a salad or stewed as a vegetable. The Japanese even insert horsetail and enjoy it as a delicacy. Brown shoots have a slight mushroom taste, while the green shoots are very bitter and should be watered first.
In naturopathy, field horsetail is used because of its valuable ingredients for the treatment of inflammation and in cosmetics for hair and teeth. The ingredients include:
Tips
From horsetail or horsetail a very manure can be produced, which is ideal as a fertilizer for many garden plants. Experienced gardeners treat their roses with broth from field horsetail to prevent mildew diseases.