Woodland Ragwort
Senecio sylvaticus
- Native to:
- Austria, Azores, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Madeira, Netherlands, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye-in-Europe, Ukraine
Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Senecio
- Species:
- Senecio sylvaticus
- USDA Symbol:
- SESY
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 80 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
Keystone Species Ranking
- Pollen Specialist Bee Keystone:
- ★★★★☆ Native pollen specialist bee species supported by this genus (NWF)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- small birds
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Pioneer species that readily colonizes post-fire sites from wind-dispersed seed; benefits from fire-created openings but does not require fire for germination.
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- poor, sandy, well-drained soil
- pH:
- 4.5 - 6.5 (acidic to slightly acidic)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- dry to moderate
- Notes:
- often found in disturbed areas and open woodlands
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily on disturbed soil with light exposure. Often colonizes burned or cleared areas.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI