Ragwort
Poisonous 
Autumn 
Spring 
Summer 
Winter
Some people have an allergic reaction of the skin from touching Ragwort.
| Hedgerow Type | |
| Common Names | Ragwort, Tansy ragwort,, Ragweed, Stinking Nanny/Ninny/Willy, Staggerwort, Dog Standard, Benweed |
| Scientific Name | Jacobaea vulgaris |
| Season Start | Jan |
| Season End | Dec |
Leaves
The leaves are pinnately lobed, the lobes getting bigger towards the end of the leaf. Ragwort is a biennial and in the first year the leaves grow in a rosette with the flower stems appearing in the second year.
Flowers
Ragwort produces many yellow flowers in its second year growth and keeps flowering from June to November, when the seeds have been produced the plant dies.
Habitat
Fields, pastures, waste ground, roadsides and open spaces and likes cool but damp conditions.
Possible Confusion
The plant looks a little like Tansy, Tanacetum vulgare, but is generally ‘raggedy’ enough to identify.
Smell
Unpleasant.
Frequency
Common.
Collecting
When trying to eradicate ragwort all the root must be removed or the plant will grow back again.
Other Facts
There are not many reports of Ragwort poisoning in humans as the plant tastes horrible enough to prevent consumption and horses will avoid the plant for similar reasons, the problem for horses occurs when dried Ragwort is mixed in with hay as horses can not recognise the plant dry.
The leaves can be used to produce a green dye, the flowers, a yellow dye.
The cinnabar moth relies on ragwort during its life cycle.
8 comments for Ragwort
Please can I subscribe to alerts for further foraging courses? Huntingdon.
Thanks
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Does Ragwort have no herbal uses?
There seems to be topical uses for ragwort but eating or ingesting it is not recommended.
I have a silver leaved type of ragwort that doesn’t look like Jacobaea vulgaris. What could it be?
It may be Cineraria maritima or Silver Ragwort which is grown as a garden plant.
Thanks – that might be it!
1. Does Ragwort affect aquatic life?
Ragwort is seen growing near streams and rivers and the seeds are spread circa September, as ingestion affects humans, livestock, wild animals I.e. Foxes, badgers etc, interesting to know if it affects Fresh water trout Salmon, minnows etc.
2. One of my brother-in-laws was affected badly whilst pulling ragwort from the edges of a field where they kept horses. He wore gloves and protective clothing, but had difficulty breathing.
At hospital, the doctors did thier best and he has survived to this day.
The fact that one plant can spread 50,000 to 60,000 seeds is of great concern, bearing in mind more stormy weather due to climate change.