Seattle homeowners often notice clusters of tall, yellow-flowered weeds in summer and wonder if they’re just wild daisies. More often than not, those plants are tansy ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris), a noxious invasive weed that poses serious risks to people, pets, and livestock.
At Lee’s General Landscaping, we provide safe, professional tansy ragwort removal to protect both your property and the environment.
What Does Tansy Ragwort Look Like?
Tansy ragwort can grow up to 4 feet tall and has a very distinctive look once you know the signs:
- Flowers: Bright yellow daisy-like blooms with 10–15 petals, clustered at the top of tall stems (July–September).
- Leaves: Dark green, deeply lobed, and ruffled-looking — with a bitter smell when crushed.
- Growth Habit: Biennial — rosette stage the first year, tall flowering stalks the second year.
It’s often mistaken for tansy (common tansy), but ragwort is more dangerous and produces smaller, daisy-like flowers instead of button clusters.
Why Tansy Ragwort Is a Problem
- Highly toxic: All parts of the plant contain alkaloids that damage the liver. It’s poisonous to cattle, horses, pets, and even people if ingested.
- Spreads aggressively: A single plant can produce 150,000+ wind-blown seeds, quickly invading pastures, gardens, and roadsides.
- Persistent: Seeds remain viable in the soil for up to 10 years, making long-term management essential.
- Environmental hazard: Crowds out native plants and degrades soil health.
Because of these risks, King County classifies tansy ragwort as a Class B noxious weed — landowners are legally required to control it.
How We Remove Tansy Ragwort
This isn’t a weed you want to tackle with bare hands. Our team uses protective gear and professional tools to safely eliminate it.
- Hand Pulling in Rosette Stage
- Best done in spring or early summer before flowering.
- We dig deep to remove as much root as possible.
- Bagging Flower Heads
- If plants have already bloomed, we cut, bag, and haul the flower heads immediately to prevent seed spread.
- Haul-Away and Disposal
- Ragwort waste cannot be composted. We bag and dispose of it at approved facilities.
- Mulch and Fabric Suppression
- After removal, we often install mulch or groundcover to prevent regrowth and smother lingering seedlings.
Long-Term Control and Prevention
- Remove early and often: Tackling seedlings is far easier than full-grown plants.
- Avoid mowing: Cutting ragwort without removal can spread seeds and encourage regrowth.
- Monitor regularly: Seeds can remain dormant for years — watch for new plants each season.
- Replace with healthy groundcover: A mulched bed or thick lawn helps resist future infestations.
Professional Tansy Ragwort Removal in Seattle
DIY removal of tansy ragwort can be risky because of its toxicity and long seed viability. Hiring professionals ensures safe removal, proper disposal, and long-term prevention.
At Lee’s General Landscaping, our tansy ragwort services include:
- Root-level hand pulling with commercial tools
- Protective gear for safe handling
- Complete bagging, hauling, and disposal
- Mulch installation to suppress regrowth
- Yard cleanups to address other invasive weeds like blackberry, ivy, and poison hemlock
✅ If you’ve spotted tansy ragwort in your yard, don’t wait until it flowers and spreads. Contact Lee’s General Landscaping for professional weed removal in Seattle and let us keep your property safe, clean, and weed-free.
