Japanese horsetail, the zen side of the gardens

Rnothing stops him. Neither the ice (withstands temperatures of -10°C), nor the wind (it trembles but does not break), nor the passage of time. Equisetum hiemale, Known as Japanese horsetail, it was already common in the time of the dinosaurs. “It is one of the creeping plants, its rhizome branches underground, emerges a little more and colonizes the space, explains Nicolas Verron, production director of the Terre distant nursery (Loire-Atlantique). Which can stop customers. » One of them even told him that his specimen had managed to lift the low wall in front of him.

Those in the know plant it in a container or contain it with an anti-rhizome barrier system. So that they can enjoy all the aesthetic sobriety ofEquisetum hiemale. That is, a silhouette reduced to a vertical minimum. The leaves of the Japanese horsetail are almost invisible, and its flower, if it appears, is reduced to an ephemeral blister.

Equisetum hiemale It looks like a big bright green telescopic straw that likes to wade through the water and move forward in a gang. Very sociable, it quickly forms a dense and well-ordered population. Bundles of Japanese horsetail have become a must-have in minimalist Zen gardens. Associated with plants found on the edges of banks, ponds and wetlands, horsetail can also be found in bouquets.

Ekaterina Kuleshova, an ikebana teacher in Paris, recreates aquatic landscapes by placing it in a small bowl, next to ferns, lilies or hoops. But the plant can also leave its comfort zone. Simply slide an iron wire into its hollow stem to “bend it, shape it”, make squares and clear shapes, explains the teacher. The flower arrangement becomes more modern, architectural.

The teacher advises adding contrast, inspired by the rules of Japanese floral art. To balance its green line, add the roundness of a rose, the mass of a chrysanthemum flower or a sunflower. You can also compare its verticality to the flat surface of a very red Japanese maple leaf, “for energy.”