ragwort

1 8.6

A wild plant with yellow daisy-like flowers that is poisonous to farm animals

noun
/ˈræɡˌwɔrt/

: ragwort

golden ragwort
woolly ragwort

Examples

A blackjack oak and Small's ragwort at the periphery of May Prairie.

Academic text (1997)
The farmer removed ragwort from his field because it is toxic to livestock.
Every spring, the garden is brightened by the yellow flowers of ragwort.
It is important to manage ragwort carefully, as it can spread quickly and harm nearby plants.

Synonyms

Senecio jacobaea

vsragwort

Specialized

9.9

A common European plant with bright yellow daisy-like flowers called ragwort that is poisonous to cattle

is a general wild plant term for similar yellow daisylike species often harmful to livestock

tansy ragwort

vsragwort

9.6

A common European weed with yellow flowers that is poisonous to cattle if eaten

is the general wild plant term not only formally declared noxious weeds

Senecio glabellus

vsragwort

Specialized

9.9

Plant with yellow daisy-like flowers that grows in North America

is the broader wild plant category including various regional species

golden ragwort

vsragwort

9.1

A wild plant with golden-yellow flowers that often grows like a weed

is the general wild plant often viewed as a toxic weed across regions

Compounds

golden ragwort

9.1

A wild plant with golden-yellow flowers that often grows like a weed

tansy ragwort

9.6

A common European weed with yellow flowers that is poisonous to cattle if eaten

Surface Forms

ragwort singular

ragworts plural

Morphology

ragwort = rag + wort (semi-transparent) = rag + wort

The compound is built from 'rag' + 'wort' (a genuine element meaning 'plant'), but 'wort' is archaic and learners may not recognise it, and the specific poisonous-weed sense is not fully predictable from the parts.

Etymology

The word ragwort comes from rag ('torn cloth') and wort ('plant'), like in St John's wort, because the plant's leaves look ragged and torn. So ragwort is a 'rag-like plant' with yellow, daisy-like flowers and is often seen as a weed that farmers remove because it can be toxic to animals.