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Yellow Toadflax (butter-and-eggs) Scrophulariaceae,
the figwort family

Background

Yellow toadflax is likely an escaped ornamental brought to this country from Europe. It spreads both by seed and roots. This weed contains a poisonous glucoside that may be harmful to livestock. Yellow toadflax grows under a wide range of environmental conditions.

Description

Yellow toadflax is a perennial with narrow, nearly opposite, 2-inch long leaves. Stems are smooth, generally unbranched, and up to 3 feet tall. The showy snapdragon-like flowers are about 1 inch long (excluding the 1/2-inch spur), yellow with an orange throat and bloom from summer to fall. Seed is produced in brown, globe-shaped capsules. Seeds are round, dark colored with notched, papery collars that act as wings in spreading the seed.

Distribution

Yellow toadflax is found throughout the U.S. and in nearly all areas except western and south-central Idaho counties.

Control

Biological control agents (a defoliating moth, a seed head weevil, and a flower beetle) provide fair control of yellow toadflax. Herbicides are also available.

Please contact: Ag Publishing, University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho 83844-2240; 208 882-7982 visit the Resources for Idaho website at http://info.ag.uidaho.edu, for more information about this or other publications.