Equisetum giganteum

Equisetum giganteum, commonly known as giant horsetail, is a species of rushlike perennial herb belonging to the genus Equisetum. This genus is the only living representative of the order Equisetales and the class Equisetopsida. Horsetails are characterized by their conspicuously jointed stems, which contain silicate minerals and have leaves reduced to sheaths that encircle the shoots.1

E. giganteum is native to the American tropics and is notable for its impressive size, sometimes reaching heights of up to 10 meters (about 32 feet) with a stem diameter of approximately 4 centimeters (1.6 inches). It often relies on surrounding vegetation for support. While horsetails are used in folk medicine, they can be poisonous to livestock. Historically, their abrasive stems, due to silica content, were used for scouring.21