There have been many recent stories in the press about the plant ragwort. It is accused of being a menace both to humans and animals. The question of humans is dealt with in another article, Ragwort and humans why there is no risk. Here we explain the problems and exaggerations.
It is, without question a poisonous plant, but poisoning is rare. An extensive investigation of the scientific data from both Europe and other countries shows this. Published statistics show it affecting only a dozen or so horses a year and a similar number of cattle and the literature indicates that a lot of cases occur because of mistreatment,
For an explanation of the false higher claims see Ragwort horse deaths cattle deaths and bad science.
It is in fact an important plant ecologically. See. Ragwort an important plant.
It is not just the question of the cinnabar moth, but of a much greater number of ragwort invertebrates.
Contrary to what is often claimed , Ragwort isn't a notifiable weed. There is not, and never has been, a requirement in any UK law to notify anyone of its presence on land. This native plant is often described as “invasive” a term properly applied to foreign plants that pose an ecological problem. We recently had to complain to Neath Port Talbot Council that a document they produced listed this ecologically important plant as being a foreign invasive that needed control like Japanese Knotweed.
Another hoax is that the law requires people to control it where ever it occurs. This is not true either. Under the Weeds Act landowners may be ordered to control it in extreme circumstances but there is no requirement either for the government to enforce it or for landowners to control it. See Ragwort the law explained
The private members bill that became the Ragwort Control Act did attempt to do this but parliament realised the value of the plant and the silliness of ordering people to control it. The act only provides for the production of a code for control.
We often see claims that it needs to be controlled on verges and other public land because thee is a danger of it spreading. Ragwort seed spread has been well studied and this is not the case.
It isn't increasing either. There has been a lot of campaigning by people who can financially benefit from the perception that the plant is dangerous but the facts show that it is not increasing.