Ragwort

At this time of year if you see a plant with bright yellow flowers and dark green, deeply divided leaves growing  on waste ground, roadsides and grassland throughout the Valley it’s likely to be Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea).

Growing between 30-120cm (12-48in) tall it’ squite distinctive and one of the favourite food sources of the orange and black Cinnabar Moth caterpillars, who are voracious eaters and may clear large areas of Ragwort leaving just the bare stalk.

In this respect they are doing farmers a great service because Ragwort is regarded as one of Britain’s most dangerous wildflowers and one of the most frequent causes of livestock poisoning, particularly in horses, cattle and sheep.  It is one of five injurious weeds covered by the provisions of The Weeds Act 1959. The leaves contain an alkaloid poison which can lead to progressive liver failure with fatal consequences. Normally livestock will avoid eating ragwort as it has a bitter taste, however once it has been cut and left to dry as part of the haymaking process the bitterness disappears and animals will not realise they are eating it.

It was once believed that an infusion made from the plant and administered in small doses provided a cure for ‘staggers’ – a disease that affects the brain and spinal cord of horses, how wrong they were. It was because of this supposed power that the plant was given the name jacobaea after St James the patron saint of horses. It was also said to begin flowering on the saint’s day July 25th.

Ragwort is difficult to erradicate as the seeds can lie dormant in the soil  for up to 20 years and each plant can produce up to 150,000 seeds which have a 70% germination rate. Anyone picking the plant needs to wear gloves as it can inflict a painful skin rash.

The name Ragwort refers to the cut or ragged-looking leaves. In Scotland is called ‘Stinking Billy’ from its unpleasant odour when bruised. The name Billy alludes to William Duke of Cumberland who was the ruthless vctor at the Battle of Culloden in 1746.

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More information

Surrey County Council website
Ragwort facts website