Silver Ragwort

[LizardLover]

Can anyone help?, I have been reading Ragwort is very poisonous and known to kill horses!.I was at a fair and got a plant that turns out to be a Silver Ragwort I have a cat and dog and do not want to risk the plant harming them, at the same time I was told this plant will attract many bugs to my wildlife garden, I am very new to this, and now I feel I should chuck this plant in the bin!, should I???

[JennyS]

The cat and dog aren't too likely to eat it ......

[jhewitt15]

the silver ragwort is a garden cultivar so the horticulturists could have bred the toxicity out of it.

anyway cats and dogs are more likely to eat grass more than anything!

[ollyk]

I encouraged ragwort last year and was rewarded with lots of Cinnabar caterpillars. Our cat wasn't interested in the stuff...

[Kayleigh]

Only grazing animals are at risk so if your cat and dog graze then get rid of it. If not then watch out for all the beneficial insects that land on it.

Even then it is unpalatable in the green it is more of a problem when they make hay from fields containing ragwort as it is dried along with the hay and then it becomes palatable to horses.

So a couple of plants in your garden are not going cause any problems

[LizardLover]

Hello Everyone*
Thank you for your replies, this is difficult for me actually, as I am a paranoid person!.
Unfortunately my dog and cat do eat grass now and then!, all my plants are in pots as I dont have a proper garden at the moment!,the Silver Ragwort is on top of compost bags amoung other plants i got that day A Giant Scabious,Heather,Phlox,Sedum,sedge & pots I just put seeds in yesterday,Sea Holly,Poached Egg Plant,Candytuft & Cornflower,does anyone know how long any of these plants take to show a seed sprouting?.
JennyS:My dogs face swelled up when he ate ivy as a pup!,he does have silly moments, so Im not sure if he will be good and not touch this plant,the good news is my plants are all eventually going in a raised flowerbed where my pets cant touch them!.
jhewitt15: You said that its cultivated and so the toxins might not be in this one,but how would I know that for sure? it does look taller than other Silver Ragworts Ive seen in photos,but it does have yellow flowers.
ollyk:I would like to help the Cinnabar caterpillars, I read they starve if they cant find ragwort!,they are very beautiful caterpillars too!,and so is the moth they become!.
Kayleigh:I only have one Silver Ragwort, and it is taller than any of the pics i have seen,it also has yellow daisylike flowers,unfortunately its stem got snapped so i dont know if the flowers will live!.
I still dont know what to do im affriad as I read you say to watch out for all the benificial insects that land on it, yet since i know my dog and cat eat grass, who knows maybe they would nibble my plants too!.
I dont have the heart to chuck it, and I have a chance of seeing the Cinnabar if I keep it.
It will as I said eventually be going in a raised flowerbed,but till then, it is a risk!.
To chuck or not to chuck! haha, that is the question!?
Thank you all so much for your replies, I think if I got a vote of keep or chuck I could finally make up my mind, as Im still confused.

[Kayleigh]

Like I said it tastes horrible so I doubt you dog would eat it.
only you can make the decision to keep or throw it.

[aeshna5]

The risk to your pets should be minimal.

[Jez]

I got a gut feeling that your dog has learnt it's lesson when he ate the ivy, the cat should be even less of a worry.

Digitalis is also poisonous like other plants in my garden but has never ever harmed my animals!

[LizardLover]

Thank you for your help*
I have decided to keep it!.
My dog was in our friends garden,and their dogs and him dont touch the plants there,which includes Honeysuckle I found out is also poisonous for dogs.
Im sure theres loads of people who have pets and toxic plants,perhaps without knowing it even!.Im going to try and not be so paranoid.