Native to Europe, Ragwort is a distinctive plant because of its bright yellow flowers and tall stems, typically reaching 0.8-1.5metres tall. The species commonly inhabits open wasteland, undisturbed agricultural land and pasture, however it is toxic to livestock.
Ragwort, or Stinking Willie is in fact native to the UK and abundant throughout Scotland and can be found on roadside and pastures. A member of the Compositae family, it is a close relation of daisies and dandelions.
A single plant can produce upto 200,000 wind and animal dispersed seeds, similar in appearance and technique to the Dandelion. Such is the success of this plant that approximately 18% of open grassland in the East of Scotland is inhabited by Ragwort.
Ragwort contains Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids (PA) and is poisonous to cattle, horses and pigs on ingestion of the plant, causing cell necrosis and primarily targeting the liver and kidneys inhibiting regeneration of cells damaged to wear and tear. Being so prominent on open land, especially in agricultural Scotland, it is imperative that Ragwort is controlled to ensure the safety of livestock. Although unpalatable to many animals, contamination of feed with plant parts and seeds has seen Bovine liver disease occur in livestock after ingestion. The problem occurs when livestock eat young shoots or cut stems, although more palatable to the animal these can be more poisonous.