IDENTIFICATION
Provincial Noxious. Perennial.
Yellow toadflax has a bright yellow, snapdragon-like flower with
an orange spot on the lower lip and narrow, pale green leaves that are
pointed at both ends. Flowers are similar to Dalmatian toadflax but smaller.
Mature plants are 10 - 80 cm tall.
DAMAGE
Yellow toadflax contains a glucoside that is mildly poisonous to
cattle, but poisonings are rare as it is generally not eaten. The plant
competes with native grasses and can alter species diversity on some sites.
Dense populations can reduce forage production for livestock and wildlife.
HABITAT
In British Columbia, yellow toadflax is found in grasslands and
open forests, and on disturbed sites such as roadsides, railroads, logged
areas, cultivated fields, and gravel pits. It is present in the Peace
and Omineca regions but it is abundant in the Okanagan, Similkameen, Thompson,
Boundary, East Kootenay, and Cariboo regions.
SPREAD
The plant spreads rapidly from buds on creeping root systems, as well
as by wind-borne seed.
