Yellow toadflax (Linaria vulgaris)

Stem

• Multiple stems up to 3 ft. tall; woody base; often branched near top; sometimes hairy

Leaves

• Alternate; strap-like (linear), 1-2.5 in. long, 0.1-0.2 in wide and lack hair (glabrous) to sparsely hairy; NO leaf stems (petioles); DO NOT clasp the stem; edges (margins) are smooth

Flower

• Snapdragon-like; 0.5-1.5 in. long, bright yellow to white with an orange bearded throat and a yellow spur; clustered along upper part of stem

• Seed capsules round with two chambers, 0.3-0.5 in. diameter, contain many seeds

Root

• Creeping root system

Other

• Grows best in coarse soils; often infests rangelands, waste areas and roadsides; known to occur in Douglas, Elko, Esmeralda, Humboldt and White Pine counties

• Perennial; reproduces by seed and creeping roots

  Toxic to livestock if ingested in large quantities; historically used as a medicine, a dye and an ornamental

• Also known as "butter and eggs"

Control

• Mechanical control (mowing, burning or tillage) is NOT effective

• Several biological control agents are available

• Apply dicamba, 2,4-D or picloram before bloom; imazapic or picloram to fall regrowth orshortly after first killing frost