Warning over 'extremely poisonous' plant invading UK gardens

Sebastian McCormick

26 June 2024 at 0:08 pm·2-min read

Common Ragwort — -Credit: (Image: Japanese Knotweed Ltd & Environment Controls)

A warning has been issued around an "extremely poisonous" invasive weed which may be growing on many people's properties.

Appearing as bright yellow flower heads, ragwort can be very dangerous, and a warning has been issued against removing the plants yourself. Instead, it is recommended that ragwort is handled by experienced people wearing full protective clothing and eradicated by weed control technicians, warns Japanese Knotweed Ltd and Environment Controls.

Ragwort can cause all sorts of problems, and is extremely poisonous to dogs, livestock and horses if ingested, even proving fatal in some cases. Stalks from the plant can often be mistaken for hay, or accidentally collected into grass cut for livestock or even horse feed.

Dogs ingesting ragwort can lead to them being affected by serious liver damage. It even poses a health risk to humans and so should not be handled with bare hands.

Common ragwort is listed as one of the five injurious weeds under the Weeds Act 1959. They can grow up to three feet tall with clusters of bright yellow flowers.

Ragwort can be identified through a professional survey, or a free ID tool can be used here to send pictures of the plant to invasive plant experts.

Get all the latest and breaking news in Yorkshire by signing up to our newsletter here.

It is a legal requirement to remove ragwort if it is deemed to be causing issues for landowners, and it has a high risk of poisoning horses and livestock or spreading even further. More than 700 horse deaths due to the plant have been recorded due to ragwort since the Weeds Act, and the plant needs to be removed from areas with animals.

The plant contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which can cause liver damage, even leading to death. It often dries out in Autumn as well, leading to it being included in hay and even the smallest amount of the plant ingested by an animal should be treated as an emergency.

Planned applications of herbicide are used to destroy the plant and using the right type of herbicide can prevent damage to surrounding plants such as grass. It can also be excavated mechanically or manually pulled up.

Biological control, making use of predators such as Cinnabar Moth Caterpillars, can also work as a solution as these insects will eat the plant. However, professional help is advised in destroying the plant.

CNN
How to survive a shark attack – or better yet, avoid one entirely
You are incredibly unlikely to be attacked by a shark. But if you are that very rare person who is, here’s what to do when a shark goes after you.
The Telegraph
The petrol station spill that upended the lives of villagers
On a hot summer’s day in Bramley, sprawling roadworks are forcing drivers to sit in long traffic jams stretching out from each end of the village.
Storyful
'That Is a Shark Like I've Never Seen': Couple Films Shark Encounter in Massachusetts
A couple had a surprising encounter with several sharks while on a boat off the coast of Westport, Massachusetts, on June 9, and captured the experience on video.Perry and Carmel Long said they were out on their 18-foot boat when they noticed a shark swimming near them. The shark was later joined by five other sharks, they told local outlet The Patriot Ledger.Video from Perry Long shows the massive animal hanging out close to the boat, as the couple debated whether it was a shark or a whale. “Oh my God, that is a freaking shark,” Carmel says in the video. Several more sharks can be seen in other footage they captured.The couple reportedly said later that they thought they had encountered basking sharks
CNN
Heat waves in Europe are getting more dangerous. Here’s what that means for travelers
Growing up in Texas, Mary Beth Walsh thought she was accustomed to high temperatures. Her hometown of Dallas, which is currently being blasted by unrelenting heat, frequently experiences heat waves.
CNN
Dramatic video shows a 100-foot-wide sinkhole open up at park
A massive sinkhole opened up at a soccer field and swallowed a light pole after a mine underground collapsed in Alton, Illinois.
Ideal Home
15 lawn ideas to get creative with your grassy garden
Add a new dimension to your garden by really considering what lawn ideas could bring to your space. This could be anything from a large swathe of lawns to petite pockets of grassy greenery. There’s a way to accommodate a lawn for every garden set-up.
CNN
Fact check: Sea levels are already rising faster per year than Trump claims they might rise over ‘next 497 years’
The day after their CNN presidential debate, former President Donald Trump cited a wildly inaccurate figure about sea levels to mock President Joe Biden’s debate claim that “the only existential threat to humanity is climate change.”
PA Media: UK News
Turtle dove hunting ban boosts western European population by 25%
Conservationists say now is the time to ‘double-down’ on efforts to provide habitat to help the migratory birds breed in the UK.
The Packet - Falmouth
'It's breaking my heart': Helston residents fight to save much-loved tree
A Helston woman has spoken out after damage was allegedly made to a much-loved tree outside her home
The Telegraph
Why Labour’s net zero plan will cost taxpayers the earth
Labour’s £8.3bn bet on a state-owned energy company promises to cut costs for British taxpayers, but the numbers don’t add up.
Associated Press
Yellowstone officials: Rare white buffalo sacred to Native Americans not seen since June 4 birth
Yellowstone National Park officials said Friday a rare white buffalo sacred to Native Americans has not been seen since its birth on June 4. The birth of the white buffalo, which fulfilled a Lakota prophecy that portends better times, was the first recorded in Yellowstone history and is a landmark event for the recovery of buffalo, said park officials in confirming the birth for the first time. It is an extraordinarily rare occurrence: A white buffalo, also known as bison, is born in the wild once in every 1 million births, or even less frequently, the park said.
The Independent
Flight cancellations and long delays at UK airports mar start to peak travel weekend
Exclusive: Wizz Air passengers from Sicily finally fly home on third day, as other travellers face 12-hour delays
The Telegraph
20 hardy plants that can withstand any weather
Months of incessant rainfall in the UK, followed by the current hot weather, are part of an increasingly erratic weather pattern that we need to get used to, according to the Met Office.
The National
A national park is set to clamp down on campfires amid increased wildfire risk
A NATIONAL park in the Highlands is set to clamp down on campfires after a new seasonal byelaw was introduced ...
HuffPost
‘Like A Movie’: Watch Sinkhole Turn Soccer Pitch Into Terrifying Field Of Screams
The ground literally opened up beneath Gordon Moore City Park in Alton, Illinois.
Reading Chronicle
Planning on wild swimming this summer? You could be neck deep in RAW SEWAGE
At a recent protest against Thames Water, where activist groups Surfers Against Sewage and River Action paddled onto the Thames outside the company's HQ, Mrs Jordan said that something needs to be done about the issue and fast.
Hereford Times
Farmers like John Price SHOULD be allowed to dredge Herefordshire rivers!
HISTORICALLY, management of our rivers was conducted by local farmers and landowners through river management boards.
Associated Press Finance
South African researchers test use of nuclear technology to curb rhino poaching
Researchers in South Africa have injected radioactive material into the horns of 20 rhinos as part of a research project aimed at reducing poaching. The idea is that radiation detectors already in place at national borders would detect the horns and help authorities arrest poachers and traffickers. The research, which has included the participation of veterinarians and nuclear experts, begins with the animal being tranquilized before a hole is drilled into its horn and the nuclear material carefully inserted.
The Guardian
Turning your garden into a haven for wildlife
Letters: Elliot Lane, Beth McFarland and Geraldine Blake respond to an article on how to make your outdoor space into a diverse habitat
PA Media: UK News
Showers forecast for first week of Wimbledon
The Met Office has warned of potential showers on Tuesday afternoon but Monday is expected to ‘feel pleasant’ and be ‘mostly dry’.

Latest stories