Indeed Martin, those bloody Victorians wanting to bring back a taste of the colonies also imported the Giant Hogweed, which although an attractive plant, can be very dangerous -
Regarding your question about Japanese Knotweed, yes it IS widespread in France, but because the French are not as obsessed with gardening as we tend to be, there is not the same awareness, even at the official level, of the risks involved to nearby properties by the presenceof this plant.
Well I suppose âStinking Willieâ, to use ragwortâs amusing common name, although a pest for farmers is
harmless enough for the rest of us Jane, but the knotweed and hogweed are a real danger. Near where I am, there is a railway embankment with a bridge crossing over a narrow but well used lane and that bridge and surrounding land, publicly owned of course, are absolutely overgrown with knotweedâŚ
And hogweed, which can give you a very nasty burn, seems to be seeded by the wind or by birds,
so look out for it in your garden
Ragwort in hay is poisonous and cumulative, especially to horses.
As cattle do not usually have such long productive lives, it is not seen as the pest it really is.
Neither France or the UK seems to pay much attention to noxious weed laws, hence the amount of ragwort seen on UK motorways.
They wonât usually eat it when grazing is plentiful because it is bitter (so if very hungry and thereâs not much else, or the plants are young they will) and in hay they will chomp it down happily and it causes liver damage either way which is often fatal.
These are pretty to see after a dark winter . then it will turn yellow with buttercups âŚthen white daisiesâŚthen yellow dandelions !!! then brown as the suns dried it all up !! lol. lucky when we get green grass and now weeds âŚat least in my gar
den !! lol . enjoy whatever you get âŚ
Ragwort in hay is poisonous and cumulative, especially to horses. As cattle do not usually have such long productive lives, it is not seen as the pest it really is. Neither France or the UK seems to pay much attention to noxious weed laws, hence the amount of ragwort seen on UK motorways.