Ragwort

Senecio jacobaea

By the roadsides, in waste places and on neglected land the Ragwort may be found almost everywhere.

Known in Scotland as Stinking Willie on account of the unpleasant odour of the plant when bruised. To the agriculturist generally it is an absolute nuisance, though the ordinary rambler can afford to admire the sight of, sometimes, acres of land painted with its rich gold.

Flowering from June to October, but in the south it may be found in flower at Christmas.

The Observer’s Book of Wild Flowers, compiled by W. J. Stokoe (1957)