Ragworts blooming.

[Wild-Woman]

Can someone tell me if ragworts are able to flower twice in a year, or am I looking at a different species?

[Deb London]

They're everywhere, aren't they!

[metalfish]

Around Felixstowe there's ragwort in bloom, the narrow-leaved ragwort is a splendid display down the side of the road to work. The rainfall and warm temperatures are elongating the flowering season for a fair few species round here, even the privit but I doubt the flowers will successfully turn to fruit.

[Dorts]

They certainly can flower twice, as can very many species of plant, especially if the first flowering shoot is damaged before it has set seed. It's a 'safety device' for the plant.
None of the Ragwort here has got as far as setting seed yet, they are all in the first stages of flowering, and there are many smaller plants that have only just begun to flower. All very normal.
Dorts.

[aeshna5]

I've seen Common, Oxford + Hoary Ragworts flowering locally recently.

[Wild-Woman]

Thanks for all the information. Just out of interest though, what insects will pollinate them? I've not seen anything on them. No hoverflies appear to around them.

[aeshna5]

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Thanks for all the information. Just out of interest though, what insects will pollinate them? I've not seen anything on them. No hoverflies appear to around them.

I'm surprised as Ragwort normally attracts a wide range of insects to the flowers, including many flies, Hymenoptera, earlier in the summer quite a few butterflies such as skippers, Meadow Browns, Small Copper, etc, various moths + probably others. Like a lot of composites they are pollinated by a wide range of generalists.