Senecio jacobaea - Ragwort

Family:	Compositae
Habit:	Perennial
Height:	1
Width:	0.5
Synonyms:
Range:	Europe, including Britain, south and east from Scandanavia to N. Africa, Caucasua and W. Asia.

Senecio jacobaea (Ragwort) is a Perennial which grows to a height of 1m and a width of 0.5m . It has a hardness rating of 5and is vunerable to frost.
Ragwort will flower in December to April. the seeds ripen from January to April
The flowers from this plant are hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and they are pollinated by Bees, flies, lepidoptera, self

Soil Information

Ragwort will grow in light (sandy),medium (loamy),hard (clay) soil. It is not necessary for the soil to be well drained.
The soil prefers the following PH / acid levels :
- pH of less than 6, Acidic soils
- pH between 6 and 8, Neutral soils
- pH greater than 8, Basic soils
Ragwort prefers moist soils

Ideal Planting Locations

Ragwort can grow in semi or areas with no shade.

Waste ground and pastures on all but the poorest soils[4, 17]. It is often only an annual[17].

Planting places suited to this plant described below.

• Can be planted in Cultivated Beds
• Suits a meadow

Cultivation Details

Succeeding on all but the poorest soils, this plant is a declared noxious weed in Britain spreading freely by seed. It should not be cultivated other than in controlled conditions for scientific research. Ragwort can be eradicated by pulling it up just before it comes into flower, or by cutting it down as the flowers begin to open (this latter may need to be repeated about six weeks later)[4]. Ragwort is a good food plant for the caterpillars of many butterfly and moth species, and is one of only two species that provide food for cinnabar moth caterpillars.

Edible Uses*

* See disclaimer
Edible Rating: 0/5
None known

Medicinal Uses*

* See disclaimer
Medicinal Rating: 2/5
The plant is astringent, diaphoretic, diuretic, emmenagogue and expectorant[9, 21]. The plant is harvested as it comes into flower and is dried for later use[9]. Use with caution[21], when applied internally it can cause severe damage to the liver[9]. See also the notes above on toxicity. An emollient poultice is made from the leaves[4]. The juice of the plant is cooling and astringent, it is used as a wash in burns, sores, cancerous ulcers and eye inflammations[4]. It makes a good gargle for ulcerated mouths and throats and is also said to take away the pain of a bee sting[4]. Caution is advised here since the plant is poisonous and some people develop a rash from merely touching this plant[K]. A decoction of the root is said to be good for treating internal bruises and wounds[4]. A homeopathic remedy is made from the plant[9]. It is used in the treatment of dysmenorrhoea and other female complaints, internal haemorrhages and other internal disorders[9].

• Astringent - Produces contraction in living tissue, reducing the flow of secretions and discharges of blood, mucus, diarrhoea etc.
• Diaphoretic - Induces perspiration.
• Diuretic - Acts on the kidneys, promoting the flow of urine.
• Emmenagogue - Promotes or increases the menstrual flow. In early stages of pregnancy it can induce an abortion.
• Expectorant - Clears phlegm from the chest by inducing coughing.
• Homeopathy - A plant used in homeopathic treatments.

Propagation

A noxious weed, it doesn't need any help in spreading itself about.

Known Hazards

All parts of the plant are poisonous[4, 19]. The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids, in isolation these substances are highly toxic to the liver and have a cumulative affect even when the whole plant is consumed[65, 254].

Other Uses

A good green dye is obtained from the leaves, though it is not very permanent[4, 115]. A yellow dye is obtained from the flowers when alum is used as a mordant[4, 115, 168]. Brown and orange can also be obtained[168].

• Dye - Plants that provide dyes.

Cultivars

no recorded cultivars

References

Flora of the British Isles.
Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Author: Clapham, Tootin and Warburg.
Rating:
Publisher : A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures.
Date of Publication : 1962

The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992.
Huxley. A.
Author: Huxley. A.
Rating:
Publisher : Excellent and very comprehensive, though it contains a number of silly mistakes. Readable yet also very detailed.
Date of Publication : 1992

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