Bosh Bruening
Family
Hippuridaceae
Botanical Name
Hippuris vulgaris
Plant Common Name
Common Mare's Tail
General Description
The common mare’s tail is a prolific aquatic plant with bottlebrush-like green foliage. It can be found in wetlands across all of North America, save the Deep South and southeastern states, and is also found in waterways in South America, Eurasia, and even Australia. So it truly has a world or pandemic distribution.
Hardy and very vigorous, this perennial produces strong underground rhizomes which travel through water-logged soils and send up new shoots. Each hollow stem is lined with fine, needle-like leaves borne in evenly spaced whorls. The plants may have emergent stems (above water) or be completely submerged. If stems are above water, they are upright but they become totally limp and move with the water if submerged. Its fruits and flowers are tiny and inconspicuous.
This plant needs high light and soils permeated with fresh water rather than salt water. It will develop its upright, above water habit if planted in shallow still water, such as that found in shallow swamps, quiet pools and marshes. In moving water, it tends to get dragged underwater in the current. It will not grow in water exceeding two meters (six feet). This is a pretty plant for ponds and water gardens. It even looks nice in aquatic containers.
Ornamental Features
-
Flower Interest
Insignificant
-
Flower Color
White, Green
-
Foliage Color (Spring)
Light Green
-
Foliage Color (Summer)
Green, Light Green, Dark Green
-
Foliage Color (Fall)
Green, Light Green, Dark Green
-
Foliage Color (Winter)
Green, Light Green
-
Fragrant Flowers
No
-
Fragrant Fruit
No
-
Fragrant Foliage
No
-
Bark or Stem Fragrant
No
-
Repeat Bloomer
No
-
Showy Fruit
No
-
Edible Fruit
No
-
Showy Foliage
Yes
-
Foliage Texture
Fine
-
Foliage Sheen
Matte
-
Evergreen
Semi-Evergreen
-
Showy Bark
No
