Forgive me for stating the obvious but, you either know what Ragwort looks like or you don't. So this page is targeted at those visitors who don't.
The most striking thing about Ragwort is the mass of shocking yellow flowers throughout the summer and early autumn, so that's where the identification picture will start. Now that you've seen a Ragwort Plant with a label, you may well recall seeing them on many a grass verge or wasteland area. When in bloom, and also subject to the type of Ragwort, the flowering heads can vary in height anywhere between 12inches and 4-5ft tall. If you click on the Ragwort Image on the right, you will get a larger, clearer image.
How to identify Ragwort
10 cm Ragwort Rosette
This is an image of the classic Ragwort Rosette. This example is approximately 10cm across and is the optimum size for dealing with; whether by digging, spraying, Ragtagging etc. As you can see, it consists of deeply lobed leaves lying flat to the ground. If you click on the Ragwort Rosette Image on the right, you will get a larger, clearer image.
This is the optimum sized plant to use a Ragtag on.
Ragwort Rosette
Semi Mature Ragwort Plant
This is a Semi Mature Ragwort Plant. It generally sprouts upwards and outwards and can easily reach a good foot or more in diameter. This photo was taken towards the end of the summer. Click on the image of Semi Mature Ragwort Plant and you will see a bigger and clearer version of it.
Semi Mature Ragwort Plant
Mature Ragwort Plant
This is a picture of a Mature Ragwort Plant. This picture was taken in the spring, prior to the Ragwort Flowers forming. If you click on the image to the right, you will see a larger and clearer picture of a Mature Ragwort Plant.
Mature Ragwort Plant
Ragwort Plant-End Of Season.
At the end of the season, when all the Ragwort Seeds have been shed, this is what's left. The Ragwort Plant looks, to the untrained eye at least, like any other old bit of weedy growth seen so often in pasture. How easy would it be to trample it down, not realising that it is now much more palatable for the horse to eat, yet no less deadly. Click on the image to the right to get a larger and clearer picture of the Ragwort Plant - End Of Season.
Ragwort Plant-end of season.
Ragwort Root Regrowth
This is a picture of the possible, and increasingly more common problem of Root Regrowth. When the Ragwort Plant has been dug up using a Ragfork, or similar type of tool, each piece of Root Fragment can regenerate. Instead of the single, original Ragwort Plant, in tests, there have been found as many as 43 Ragwort Seedlings all sprouting from the inside of the hole. Not really the desired result! Click on the image to see a bigger and clearer image of the Ragwort Root Regrowth.
Ragwort Root Regrowth
Broken Ragwort Roots
This picture illustrates the problem of Digging Up Ragwort. If you click on the image of Broken Ragwort Roots, you will see a bigger and clearer image. On some of the bigger roots, you can see quite clearly the 'squared' off profile of the broken end. Of course, as a result of the broken end attached to the Ragwort Plant, there is a broken end still in the soil. It is this broken end that is the problem. A Root Fragment as short as 1cm can regenerate into a new plant.
