On 17/07/2012 01:03, Christina Websell wrote:
"Jake" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 15 Jul 2012 22:09:47 +0100, David Hill
wrote:




It's not notifiable , you only have to look at how much grows along the
Motorways where it's left to it's own devices.
David @ the showery end of Swansea bay

It's merely an "injurious weed" as per the Weeds Act of 1950something
(yep, there is such an Act). The Sec of State can serve a notice on
someone on whose land common ragwort (among I think 5 weeds in total)
is growing to prevent its spread. Indeed Ragwort got its own Act in
2003 I believe. IIRC it's hilarious.


You might not find it so hilarious if it killed your horse, eh?


For more information on Rabwort then see http://www.ragwortfacts.com/
Not all Ragwort is native to UK
"Oxford ragwort gets its name from the Oxford Botanic Gardens where
plants were first grown in the 1700s. They had been collected from Mount
Etna on the Island of Sicily where they were found growing on the lava
fields. By1794 the plant was to be found on the city walls having
escaped from its original source. With the advent of the railways Oxford
Ragwort, finding the clinker beds of the tracks similar to its original
volcanic habitat spread around the country. Oxford Ragwort can now be
found all over the UK and is often to be found growing in the gaps in
paving stones.

Recent research (1) has found that Oxford Ragwort (Senecio squalidus) is
actually of hybrid origin. Its parents are two other speicies of
Ragwort, Senecio aethnensis and Senecio chrysanthemifolius which are
both only found on Sicily. It appears that the occur at different
heights on the mountain and in between these points on the mountain the
hybrid occurs. It is this Ragwort that was originally taken to Oxford."

Just in case anyone gets the idea that by pulling up ragwort, they are most likely to be getting rid of an alien: Oxford Ragwort is less common than common ragwort, particularly if you live in the north or the west of the country.