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Perennials
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rediscovering ragworts

2 years ago
last modified: 2 years ago

As a horse loving nation (not me though), ragworts have always been given short shrift in the UK. Indeed, my offspring have been paid by the field to pull ragworts (usually jacobaea), during their summer holidays. Personally though, I have always been very fond of many of these not very well behaved yellow weedy things (particularly blooming en masse with wild carrots and achillea...as in my local cemetery where the wildlife group are in the ascendant over the family history group, this season at least).I certainly allow any number of hawkweeds, ragworts and groundsels to run amok on the allotment (although I draw the line with fleabane and nipplewort) because a number of insects rely on them as food plants (particularly the lovely cinnabar moth).

I have been especially impressed by a couple of the US senecios...in particular s,dorii and another similar (name escapes me but second part of the binomial began with 'n'). Before I rush off in search of seeds, I would welcome a bit more info (are you reading Jay?) And I have barely even considered the more succulent types. One of my oldest plants is an ancient brachyglottis and I have grown senecio polyodon at various times.

Am I heading into neighbourly purgatory (I already get scowled at for the dandelions I generally ignore).

Comment (1)

  • 2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I'm not very familiar with Senecio species because most of them grow in the southern US. There are to species native to Illinois, but I've never seen them. I am familiar with the Packera genus that was previously in Senecio. Ive grown Pilosella aurantiacum which is beautiful, and my favorite hawkweed is Hieracium venosum. Is Pilosella aurantiacum common in your area? I have heard Brits mentioning that ragworts don't get the love they deserve. That's not the case over here. I have a botanist friend who specializes in Packera, and there are some entities that differ from the known species and they will probably be added as new species when the research is finished. Are ragworts toxic to horses? There is only 1 species with an epithet that starts with N, here in north America, and it's Senecio neowebsteri.


    Senecio neowebsteri


    Packera glabella was native in southern Illinois, but it has migrated to northern Illinois because of climate change. It's very common now and is a weedy seeder. We call it Butterweed.


    Packera aurea, Golden Ragwort is very popular. Nice foliage and large flowers. Ive tried growing it from seed twice with no germination. I haven't given up on it yet.


    Packera antenarifolia.


    Packera obovata is another favorite of mine. Im certain Ive seen a variety of obovata with tomentose leaves, but I cant find any information to confirm a tomentose variety.


    A locally native Senecio integerrimus that Ive never encountered.


    Another locally native Senecio sauveolens

    with a high ratio of leaves, but nice lesves. I havent seen this one in the wild either.


    Hieracium venosum


    Hieracium venosum


    Hieracium venosum. I have grown this lovely thing. I think I lost them that followinh winter because they like good drainage and they are usually found growing on hillsides. My absolute favorite hawkweed.

    Hieracium umbellatum/kalmii.

    I grow this species that is not your typical hawkweed. I was crowded with nearby plants. It's stems grew close to the ground about 3 ft, and then the stems grew vertically another 3 feet. I think that strategy enables it to survive being crowded with taller plants. The leaves grow all the way up the stems, unllike most hawkweeds that have only basal leaves.

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