Horsetail is one of the ancient herbs of the world. In the prehistoric period, it is believed to have grown to the size of pine trees; herbal lore tells us it may still exist in that form in the remote East Australian Rainforest. In the days of the settlers its tough stems were bunched together to make scouring pads. Today, only the tender young shoots are used for tea.

Horsetail is know by many names: Shavegrass, Scouring Rush, Bottlebrush and Pewterwort. It makes an excellent tea and is known among herbalists as "nature's scalpel."