Most people are familiar with the striking yellow flower of the ragwort plant.
Bright yellow swathes cover fields and line roadsides up and down the country from June to November during the summer months, and the vivid display can be seen for miles. Unfortunately, beautiful as it is, there’s a dark side to the ragwort plant…. Let’s delve further into the world of ragwort and find out all there is to know about this common species.
Ragwort is an attractive wildflower native to the UK and characterised by a medium-tall hairless stem, feathery leaves and yellow daisy-like flowers. The plant is often home to a diverse ecosystem, offering food and refuge to insects, bees, butterflies, and moths. Despite its pleasant appearance and benefit to wildlife, it is, in fact, an ‘injurious weed’, as stated by DEFRA in The Ragwort Control Act 2003 (previously The Weeds Act 1959).
The best way to tackle a ragwort infestation it to contact an experienced contractor like The Knotweed Specialists. If you’re in any doubt that you have an invasive species on your land, send us a WhatsApp image, and we’ll get back to you straight away.
How Bad Is Ragwort?
The ragwort plant is quite divisive. To some, it is a valuable pollinating wildflower, with conservationists applauding its benefits to biodiversity. To others, it is a poisonous weed blamed for the deaths of many horses and livestock. For this common plant, both sides are true in their stance. But what about us – is ragwort poisonous to humans?
Thankfully, ragwort is only mildly poisonous to humans. The plant contains toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are capable of causing liver poisoning. However, humans would need to eat a vast quantity of ragwort to suffer any particular damage. The toxins can also be absorbed through the skin so protective gloves should be worn when handling ragwort. This will also shield against skin irritation which is a reported reaction to ragwort in humans.
Danger to Livestock
While relatively harmless to humans, all parts of the ragwort plant are highly toxic to livestock and horses. The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids that are poisonous to grazing animals like horses, cattle, deer, pigs, sheep and goats if eaten. These toxins harm the liver, and the more that is eaten, the greater the damage.
Usually, livestock will show signs of ragwort poisoning over a period of weeks or months of continued grazing. Signs to look out for include diarrhoea, jaundice, photosensitisation or swelling around the abdomen.
Sadly, there is no antidote or treatment to counter ragwort poisoning. It is therefore crucial to know the plant and action its removal if you have livestock grazing on your land. Look out for mixing dried ragwort with hay feed, as this will have the same effect as grazing the live plant.
It is vital to remove ragwort from grazing land to prevent livestock poisoning. The Knotweed Specialists are PCA certified and have considerable experience tackling infestations up and down the country. We have successfully treated Japanese knotweed, Giant knotweed, Himalayan Balsam and Bindweed invasions nationwide. Don’t take chances if you think you may have this harmful plant on your land.
Preventing the Spread of Ragwort
Like Japanese knotweed, bindweed and others, ragwort is a highly invasive species. The plant has the ability to spread quickly, far and wide through the dispersal of its thousands of tiny seeds. The seeds are carried by the wind, water, animals and farm machinery and can lie dormant in the soil for years before germinating.
The roots are prolific and can sprout from small fragments. So although ragwort is a native plant, and not strictly an invasive species, it certainly has all the qualities of an invasive plant.
Ragwort poses a significant danger to livestock, so it must be restrained to prevent it from spreading uncontrollably. Under The Ragwort Control Act 2003, failure to control ragwort on your land may lead to prosecution.
Methods of ragwort removal begin with correctly identifying this harmful plant. Depending on the extent of the infestation, different methods can be employed to control it, such as hand pulling, digging out, or applying a suitable herbicide treatment. It is important to remove as much of the root as possible at this time.
Disposal of ragwort waste must be done responsibly to limit the risk of contaminating other land or allowing regrowth on existing land. The best time to remove the plant is before it flowers. This prevents seed propagation.
The Knotweed Specialists have a wealth of experience removing ragwort from affected land. We offer a comprehensive professional service tailored to your particular infestation. Don’t take risks with ragwort; contact the professionals.
Ragwort – What Is It Good For?
Despite its labelling as a poisonous weed, ragwort is hugely beneficial to wildlife and the local ecosystem. It is a valuable food source for almost 200 insects, often providing shelter as well. The plant produces nectar and pollen, attracting pollinators and facilitating their important work.
Ragwort is a particularly important food source for caterpillars of the black and red cinnabar moth. This species feed on ragwort, helping to keep the plant under control. Sometimes the caterpillars completely cover the plant, stripping it of its leaves entirely.
