This has been a spectacular ragwort summer. Tall, flat-topped candelabras of egg yellow have lighted long stretches of road verge, filled sunny corners of pasture and erupted in the middle of less-mown lawns. But it’s a controversial plant, characterised by some as a “deadly daisy”. All parts contain toxic alkaloids, which if eaten will cause cumulative liver damage in horses and cattle, sometimes with fatal results.
Even a light brush against the leaves and stems releases a strong odour, which has inspired descriptively uncouth names, including mare’s fart and stinking willy. The pong has a practical purpose, helping to deter herbivores from grazing on it.
