My Creative Workbook

Christine de Beer - effortless floral craftsman

Equisetum - Scouring Rush, Horsetail, snake grass, puzzle grass

Equisetum

Equisetum dome made for "One Singular Sensation". Floral Trends Design Group Inter-club Mini Show: Old and New

Common name

Scouring Rush, Horsetail, snake grass, puzzle grass

Origin

Equisetum is near- cosmopolitan, being absent only from Antarctica. Equisetum is a .living fossil., as it is the only living genus of the entire class Equisetopsida, which, for over one hundred million years were more diverse and dominated the understory of late Paleozoic forests. Some Equisetopside were large trees reaching to thirty meters tall.

Varieties

Over twenty five species

Colors

Bright green with black horizontal bands

Vase life

Dries to a natural light green out of water. If used in a vase the stems will root, over time,and can be planted.

Scent

None

Uses

Knot one end of the stem to create a natural flower "test tube", bend it, plait it, press LED lights into it, press a wire through it to curl and shape it (as seen in photo above). Simplistic and distinctive in designs.

Conditioning

Give the stem a fresh cut and hydrate in warm water.

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Related Designs

29 April 2020 Craft a spinning diamond shape to frame your small design

A fun hanging design that spins in the slightest breeze.

29 April 2020 Seeing a Diamond in the Stuff

A fun design to create a spinning diamond frame using minimal plant material for maximum effect.

6 June 2018 Hi-Lo

Perfect stems, perfect flowers. Needs nothing more.

14 February 2018 Wire two Equisetum shoots into a heart

A wire in the hollow cavity inside a shoot of equisetum makes it easy to manipulate into a heart

14 February 2018 Two Are

Equisetum Valentine's hearts

7 February 2018 Bend Wired Equisetum into a Hollow Wreath

Craft a wreath with a hollow cavity inside to use as an armature for your flowers

7 February 2018 Up around the bend

Bend Equisetum into curves to wire into an open wreath shape

15 March 2012 A Floral Fable Design demonstration at the Capilano Flower Arranging club

My demonstration explored ways to tell a story with floral art designs

23 March 2012 Curl Equisetum shoots into a snail shell spiral

Equisetum is hollow and jointed resembling miniature bamboo but it can be shaped into spirals by wiring the shoots

23 March 2012 A Floral Fable: Colour Design

This is a detailed look at my second Floral Fable demonstration design

3 April 2011 One Singular Sensation

Three Lilies plaited to create a sensational, singular flower "growing" out of a Equisetum dome filled with Rainbow Oasis pebbles.

13 March 2011 Wire and bend Equisetum

Create lasting shapes by wiring Equisetum

14 March 2011 MOULD

A mould is a hollow container or profile used to give shape to molten or hot liquid material as it cools and hardens.

1 January 2011 Equisetum

Create a natural flower "test tube" or a light with Equisetum