Have you seen this plant by the roadside or in fields, or even in your garden, and thought nothing of it? Or perhaps you admired its flowers?  But did you know that this plant is a fast-spreading noxious weed that is a danger to livestock ?

 

Common Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) is the only ragwort species specified in the Weeds Act 1959. Other species of Senecio are not so widespread as common ragwort. Flowering is from late June onwards to early autumn when the characteristic yellow inflorescences usually extend between 30-100 cms in height.

 

This is Ragwort, or Senecio jacobaea to give it its scientific name. And to farmers across the country it represents a real problem.. Ragwort is a potential killer. It contains compounds, which are poisonous to livestock. Eating ragwort can lead to liver damage which cannot be treated. Cattle and horses are particularly susceptible to poisoning by common ragwort but sheep are also susceptible. Palatability of the weed increases when plants are conserved in hay or silage or treated with herbicide. An added problem is that livestock cannot easily reject fragments of ragwort in conserved herbage and its poisonous alkaloids are unaffected by the conservation process. Dried and dying ragwort is also dangerous because it is more palatable to livestock than the living plant. It is important, therefore, to ensure that before animals are allowed to graze, ragwort plants are removed or have completely disappeared after using control techniques.

 

One of the main problems is that this plant can spread so quickly. Its seeds are wind-carried and a single large plant may produce 150,000 seeds, which may lie dormant in the soil for as long as 15 years.

 

What can be done ?
Direct Services carries out a Ragwort Control programme every year, on land in the Borough for which it is responsible.It is part of the duties of all local Authorites to do this. (For example the Highways Agency are responsible for keeping motorways clear of the weed, and the County Council should ensure road verges are cleared).

 

Primary responsibility for weeds control rests with the occupier of the land on which the weeds are growing. However, under the Weeds Act 1959 The Department for Environment, Food and Rural (DEFRA) can take action where there is a risk of injurious weeds spreading from neighbouring land.

 

This involves a combination of spraying and physical removal. For environmental reasons spraying is carefully controlled, but is necessary as part of the programme to ensure that enough of the plants are killed quickly.

 

Members of the public can help by clearing the plant from their gardens or allotments- although great care must be taken. and keeping areas that are susceptible to seed germination cultivated, Areas of grass should have full coverage and be fertilized regularly as Ragwort prefers light soils of low fertility especially neglected grass areas and uncropped ground Prevention is the best form of control. Good pasture management which keeps the grass sward tight will minimise the chance of ragwort establishing. If removal is to be carried out the following rules should be followed:

 

The plants have to be dug up very carefully as roots left in the ground can grow into new plants, also the seeds can very easily be dispersed accidentally.

 

After removal, the plants must be burnt immediately.

 

If you are in any doubt about a plant, leave it alone and seek advice: you could inadvertently spread seeds by damaging or knocking the plants.

 

Further detailed information can be obtained from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs website www.defra.gov.uk

 

Contact: Glyn Ollier (Assistant Parks Manager)  Tel 01270 537882

To report any areas under the control of Crewe & Nantwich Borough Council that contain Ragwort please fill in the form below

 

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Area and Location of Ragwort	Area and Location of Ragwort