Ragwort is so misunderstood
We could be doing a lot of harm to our insect communities due to ragwort hysteria. It is time we looked at the proper facts about this valuable wildflower.
By Our Gardens Matter
Ragwort Jacobaea vulgaris is a native UK wildflower often growing in meadows, grasslands, pastures, and along roadsides. It belongs to the family Asteraceae, characterised by its bright yellow daisy-like flowers that bloom in late summer.
Despite its beauty, it has gained a reputation for being toxic to livestock, particularly horses and cattle, as it contains alkaloids that can poison them if ingested in large quantities. Ragwort is more of a problem when dried as it loses its bitter, unpalatable taste, making the alkaloids more dangerous for animals who unknowingly consume it. Otherwise, animals instinctively avoid eating the plant in its green form due to its distasteful taste.
Horses are particularly susceptible to the toxic effects of ragwort and may eat it unintentionally when mixed in with their hay or feed. The alkaloids in ragwort can cause liver damage and, in severe cases, lead to liver failure. Symptoms of ragwort poisoning include loss of appetite, weight loss, and neurological problems.
Despite its toxicity to livestock, many pollinators, like bees and butterflies, rely on ragwort for survival. The high yield of nectar and pollen produced by ragwort are essential food sources for many insects, helping to sustain their populations and promote biodiversity.
Many insects can consume the plant without being harmed by its toxins. Some have evolved to rely on ragwort as a primary food source, such as the cinnabar moth caterpillar and ragwort flea beetle. Both these insects provide natural ragwort control methods. The caterpillars consume the foilage and can quickly strip a plant bare. The adult beetles consume leaves without causing much harm, whereas the larvae inflict significant damage by feeding on the roots and crown.
The consumed toxins also become part of the cinnabar moth caterpillars’ defence against predators, hence the bright yellow and black warning colours. Only the cuckoo appears to be immune to the toxins in the caterpillars.
Ragwort tends to flower in late summer, offering a lifeline for many pollinators when most other native wildflowers are past their best. According to The Wildlife Trust., ragwort attracts over 200 species of invertebrates, including many butterflies in the UK.
It would be hard for life to exist without pollinators. So next time you see ragwort growing in your garden or out in nature, remember that it’s not just a pesky weed – it is a native wildflower helping to support the delicate balance of our ecosystem.
By better understanding the role of ragwort in the ecosystem and implementing sustainable management practices, we can ensure the continued survival of this native UK wildflower while also protecting the health of livestock and promoting biodiversity in our natural landscapes.
For a proper scientific view of ragwort backed by referenced data, visit www.ragwort.org.uk
Editors note:
I have turned half my front lawn into a flowering meadow. The first photo shows the late flowering ragwort along with some of the creatures I have photographed visiting it.
