Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea)
Introduction
The photograph on this page of Ragwort (Senecio jacobaea) by Philip Halling as part of the Geograph project.
The Geograph project started in 2005 with the aim of publishing, organising and preserving representative images for every square kilometre of Great Britain, Ireland and the Isle of Man.
There are currently over 7.5m images from over 14,400 individuals and you can help contribute to the project by visiting https://www.geograph.org.uk
Image: © Philip Halling Taken: 28 Jul 2007
Ragwort is a widespread and common plant and is often seen growing on the roadside and can be a serious problem for farmers. Ragwort contains pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are poisonous to horses and other farm animals such as sheep and cattle, and also to wild animals. It is also harmful to humans with poison entering the bloodstream through the skin, and should therefore not be picked.