Senecio vulgaris (old-man-in-the-spring, ground glutton, chickenweed, grimsel, ragwort)
description: winter or summer annual
place of origin: Eurasia
urban habitat: commonly found in neglected residential and commercial landscapes, vacant lots, waste dumps, stone walls, pavement openings; thrives in moist soils and full sun.
ecological function: disturbance-adapted colonizer of bare ground; food for some birds and insects.
history: Senecio vulgaris arrived early in North America, probably brought by European colonists who valued the plant for its medicinal uses, including use as a diuretic, purgative, and in the treatment of menstrual disorders and nose bleeds. All parts of the plant are toxic to many mammals, including humans, affecting the liver slowly over time cumulatively.
SITES:
description: winter or summer annual
place of origin: Eurasia
urban habitat: commonly found in neglected residential and commercial landscapes, vacant lots, waste dumps, stone walls, pavement openings; thrives in moist soils and full sun.
ecological function: disturbance-adapted colonizer of bare ground; food for some birds and insects.
history: Senecio vulgaris arrived early in North America, probably brought by European colonists who valued the plant for its medicinal uses, including use as a diuretic, purgative, and in the treatment of menstrual disorders and nose bleeds. All parts of the plant are toxic to many mammals, including humans, affecting the liver slowly over time cumulatively.
SITES:
PLANTS
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