Like many other herb species, ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) grows wild in nature and, as a weed, does not stop at the vegetable patch. It is considered highly toxic and can cause health problems in humans and animals. Since it looks similar to some plants that are used for consumption, confusion can quickly arise. That's why you should definitely recognize the poisonous herb and be able to determine the differences to similar-looking plants.
toxicity
How poisonous is Jacobaea vulgaris?
Ragwort contains so-called pyrrolizidine alkaloids. This is a very toxic substance that can cause severe liver damage in humans and animals. It is particularly dangerous for grazing animals such as cattle, horses or sheep. It can even get into the milk of dairy animals through eating or poison honey through bees. Depending on the amount of poisonous plant consumed, toxic animal products and physical condition, permanent damage is not only possible, but unfortunately not uncommon due to a high risk of confusion with non-toxic, popular kitchen and medicinal herbs and vegetables. So that you, your loved ones and pets do not expose yourself to this danger, it is important to know the characteristics of the poisonous plant that distinguish it from other plants in the garden bed or in the wild.
Ragwort, Jacobaea vulgaris
Poisonous parts of plants
The highest hazard potential for poisoning by ragwort comes from that inflorescence which have the highest toxic concentration, especially during the main flowering period between July and August. The seeds are scattered by the wind on neighboring fields, paths, meadows or beds. The multiplication is rapid and with it the risk of poisoning, which in the worst case can be fatal for humans and animals.
The toxic alkaloids are less present in the leaves, but still sufficient for serious symptoms of poisoning. A significantly lower risk comes from the plant stems. The so-called spider weed is equally poisonous as a young and adult plant, as well as when it is fresh, dried and in silage.
risk of confusion
Unconditional removal after identification
The risk of confusing the plant is quite high. Some plants in particular are very similar to the poisonous herb. But even if you don't pick any vegetables and/or herbs, you should be able to identify them as such and quickly remove them from your environment before they multiply in your neighbor's vegetable patch and spread uncontrollably. Mature plants can each develop up to 150,000 seeds, which can then be carried around within an average radius of seven kilometers.
Basic identification features
leaves and stems
- As an annual plant, they form rosette leaves that persist if no flowers are formed, for example by mowing
- Serrated foliage resembling kale with blunt leaf edges, some wavy
- Dark red to violet stems
- Upper sides of leaves dark green - lower sides of leaves mostly whitish
- Can have laterally elongated, round and centrally oval leaf spreading shapes
- Single or double leaf margin incisions
- Fine hairs on the leaves
- Growth height between 30 and 100 centimeters
blossoms
- Flowering period: between June and August, sometimes also into September/October
- Golden-yellow petals that are tightly strung together
- As a rule, they have a flower heart in the middle, which is a slightly darker shade of yellow than the petals
- Usually have a umbel raceme, in which the flower heads of different lengths form an umbrella
Other features
- An unpleasant, almost repulsive odor is released when leaves are crushed
Ragwort, Jacobaea vulgaris
Differences to similar looking plants
Johannis herbs
The poisonous spider herb looks deceptively similar to St. John's wort at first glance. Both stand out for their bright yellow flowers, which thrive at the same time. In addition, the poisonous plant prefers the same site conditions, so that it can be found where St. John's wort is expected or has already settled.
At a second, closer look, you can easily identify the differences between the poisonous ragwort and St. John's wort based on the following characteristics:
- The weed has a different number of petals - the St. John's wort has exactly five petals
- Growth height: Jacob's groundsel is smaller in its final height than St. John's wort with a maximum height of 80 centimeters
- The flowers of the daisy family are visually similar to those of a marguerite or sun - the St. John's wort of a simple star
- The leaves of the poisonous plant are significantly longer than the maximum three centimeter long leaves of St. John's wort
- An unsightly down is often attached to the leaves of ragwort, while St. John's wort leaves are free
- It often grows bushy, while St. John's wort shows an upright, taut habit
- If you crush a bud, it remains dry in the case of ragwort and deep red “hypericin” emerges from St. John's wort
John's wort, Hypericum perforatum
Meadow Pippau
Like Jacobaea vulgaris, the meadow pippau (Crepis biennis) belongs to the daisy family. Its resemblance to the poisonous plant is amazing. If you pay attention to the following differences when determining the plant species, you can easily avoid confusion:
- The poisonous herb has a golden-yellow flower color - the meadow pippau shows yellowish petals without a golden hue
- The poisonous inflorescences look like daisies - those of the non-poisonous bird thistle are more like a dandelion
- The stalk leaves are cut out further in the poisonous plant than in the meadow pippau
- The stalk of St. John's Ragwort is usually purple and deep green in Crepis biennis
Meadow Pippau, crepis biennis
arugula
Confusion can occur between ragweed and arugula (Diplotaxis tenuifolia) with yellow flowers. Basically, it should be mentioned that the rocket does not grow wild in our latitudes. So if you think you see a rocket by the wayside, you can be almost certain that it won't be this one, but probably the poisonous herb.
Nevertheless, it is not wrong to know in this possible example of confusion by which details the two plants differ. These are as follows:
- Jacobaea vulgaris is almost odorless - arugula is recognizable by its unique, strong odor
- The leaves of the poisonous plant have downy hairs, while those of the arugula are soft and hairless
Arugula, Diplotaxis tenuifolia
tansy
The tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) also belongs to the daisy family. A similarity can be seen here and can lead to confusion between the two plants. However, the tansy also has a relatively high level of toxicity, so that the two daisy family does not depend on a clear identification to be able to distinguish them from each other. Here you should stick to the described typical characteristics of the plants, which have a similarity with the ragwort.
Tansy - Tanacetum vulgare