Artificial Horsetail Reeds Buying Guide
Artificial Horsetail Buying Guide
Artificial Horsetail Reeds are highly prized in both indoor and outdoor design. Not only do they add that inherent freshness that plants and grasses bring to any space, but they do so with an orderly, modernistic quality.
With vertical lines, uniformity of size, and bamboo-like appearance, artificial horsetail reeds look great in a number of different designscapes. You’re likely to find them in minimalist surroundings, Asian-inspired gardens, contemporary decor, and any place where clean lines and vibrant greenery is a welcome touch.
Our hyper-realistic artificial horsetail reeds also work well as space dividers, privacy screens, and as partitions to obscure unwanted views. Application possibilities are endless, and below we’ve listed out information about heights, density, mount types, and more about his popular grass-like reed.
Custom sized planters, colors, casters, and more available by request.
Constructed using steel-reinforced shoots, our lifelike UV-protected, fade-resistant horsetail reeds are built to withstand adverse climates. To enhance the look of natural plants, horsetail groves can be customized by height and density for the most lifelike look possible.
High, medium & standard density plantings available
Available Mounts: Permanent or removable mount in one of our custom planters, in a custom cut foam base with natural soil topper for an existing planter or in-ground mounts.
Please account for 2-3" of reed height being lost in foam mount
A mixture of all heights used in horsetail groves to replicate live equisetum
Available in both interior & exterior varieties
Custom mount shapes & arrangements with other plants available
Most premium screens offered. Best used in visually high impact applications.
Artificial Horsetail Reed Density
Standard Density = 25 reeds per sq ft
Medium Density = 36 reeds per sq ft
High Density = 49 reeds per sq ft
Horsetail Groves are hand mounted in a high-density commercial foam topped with natural soil to give the appearance of an organic equisetum grove. Standard Density is a fantastic choice for decorative accents where the intent is to see through the grove. The high density creates more of a screen and although it does not provide privacy, it does work well to obscure an unsightly view. Medium density is a good middle road between the two.
Planting width will also have an effect on the appearance of reed density. If you have 2’-3’ to work with, the standard or medium density may give a very full look, where a 4-6inW planter (for example, in a windowsill) will look sparse if anything other than a high density is used.
Artificial Horsetail Reed Height
When choosing reed height, please keep the planter and mount in mind. Artificial reeds need to be mounted 2-3” into the mounting foam, which itself is usually mounted 2-3” below the rim of the planter. The effect is that installed horsetail reeds are generally 4-6” shorter than the reed height listed.
To create the most natural possible look, we use a mixture of artificial horsetail reed heights to give the impression of mature & growing reeds. This means that the groves appear the densest near the base, becoming increasingly more sparse as you reach the mature reeds at the top. Please note this does not apply to the 2’H reeds as that is the shortest size we offer, although mounting depth is slightly altered to avoid all reeds being exactly the same height.
Exposure to the Elements
The amount of sun that the artificial horsetail reeds will receive should be taken into account. While our indoor artificial reeds will last for years even with partial sun in, for instance, a window vignette with full exterior exposure must use the exterior rated reed to ensure longevity.
Display and Mount Types
In applications like high exposure walkways that are too hot for live plants, it is popular to create an in-ground horsetail grove that looks just like a natural planting. For these applications we mount the reed in a custom cut foam mount. The mount is buried and packed into place using sand or pea gravel to avoid shifting/movement.
Some clients have existing planters, large or small, that they are looking to fill with horsetail. We ask for clients to provide us with the opening size and depth of the planter, then we custom cut the mounting foam to perfectly fit in the existing planters. Because most planters include some kind of lip, we recommend sand be poured into the gaps to secure the grove.
Getting the grove mounted in a new planter from our sister brand Planters Unlimited is the most plug and play of our mount options. Because the planter is on hand at our manufacturing facility, we are able to securely mount the reed groves in foam and the foam into the planter so that all you have to do upon delivery is set the finished product in place.
Custom Artificial Horsetail Plants
Not every planter or planting space is a simple rectangle, square or circle. Corner planting beds, poured in place curved beds and other odd shapes are not a problem with the horsetail mounts. Even with super irregular shapes, we can use a larger mount than needed, allowing you to cut the foam mount edges to shape on site.
Horsetail doesn’t have to be lonely. Many designers and landscape architects like to use artificial equisetum in custom mixed plantings with other artificial plants to create movement, add a different leaf texture and varying planting heights.