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Ragwort is a foreign plant that has invaded the
UK
FALSE . Ragwort (Senecio jacobeae) is a common
native British Plant. You may be confusing it with Oxford Ragwort
which is a foreign coloniser.
Ragwort has increased in the UK and is spreading
across the country like a plague.
Sources for this myth
FALSE. Ragwort like all other wildflowers
subject to regular surveys by botanists. The recent surveys show
its distribution has not changed significantly since the 1960s.
A sudden dramatic crash in the number of Cinnabar Moths has
caused a plague of Ragwort.
Sources for this myth
FALSE. The cinnabar moth, whose caterpillars
eat , has not undergone a sudden dramatic crash in numbers
and thus the evidence is firmly against this myth. In any case as
stated above there is no real ragwort plague.
Under the Weeds Act 1959 landowners must by law control Ragwort on their
land.
Sources for the legal myths
FALSE. The 1959 weeds act gives the Goverment
the power to order a landowner to prevent certain weeds from spreading.
However without such an order, there is no legal obligation on a
landowner to do anything. See
Ragwort and the law.
Under the Ragwort Control Act 2003 landowners must by law control on their
land.
Sources for the legal myths
FALSE. This act provides for the government to produce a guide to ragwort control. It places no obligation on landowners at all. See Ragwort Control Act 2003.
Ragwort is a "Notifiable Weed"
FALSE. There is no such thing as a notifiable weed under UK law. There is no obligation to tell anyone about Ragwort .
A tiny amount of Ragwort will kill a horse or a
cow.
FALSE. Research has shown that a very significant
amount of Ragwort is required to kill. This can be several stone
in weight.
See How
toxic is Ragwort .
Ragwort can poison a horse even when it is not
in a field.
This quote comes from Equiworld magazine and it has
been repeated elsewhere."It has been said that horses can get
Ragwort poisoning without the plants growing in their fields. Spores
or seeds or both get carried by wind from anywhere where people
are irresponsible enough not to pull those plants up in their gardens
or fields. Horses will inhale the seeds or spores whilst grazing
and the slow process of poisoning will begin."
FALSE. Ragwort has seeds not spores! It is
highly unlikely that any seeds would enter a horse through breathing.
Research has shown that the overwhelming vast majority of
seeds do not disperse far from the parent plant. (See
ragwort dispersal) In any case the scientific literature shows takes
a very large quantity of Ragwort to poison a horse. The seeds present
no threat.
The Meat from animals that have eaten ragwort is
toxic.
FALSE. It is only the damage from prolonged
heavy exposure that does damage to the animals.The toxins
do not persist in the meat. See an expert
opinion.
It is OK to uproot ragwort where ever you see it
FALSE. It is illegal to uproot any wild plant if you are not authorised by the owner or occupier of the land on which it grows See Ragwort is sometimes protected.
Ragwort is dangerous to human beings
FALSE. Ragwort is not a poison of any consequence to humans and the plant and poses no serious risk to people see. Ragwort poisoning in Humans for a short explanation and Ragwort Humans for a longer one.
The alkaloids in ragwort build up in animals' livers
FALSE. In 2008 the Scottish Government issued a consultation on ragwort containing the following quote "Chronic ragwort poisoning is most common as PAs [pyrrolizidine Alkaloids] build up in the liver over time."
Despite being a government publication this is WRONG. The alkaloids DO NOT build up in the liver only the damage that they can do does. It is a good example of the poor understanding of ragwort that is prevalent even in official circles.
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