THE TROUBLE WITH TOADFLAX
A field of flowering toadflax might
seem picturesque to the casual observer.
The aesthetic appeal of Dalmatian and
yellow toadflax's showy, snapdragon-like
blossoms might help explain why these
species have spread across thousands of
acres of rangelands and meadows in the
United States. These toadflax species are
affectionately referred to as butter and
eggs, Jacob's ladder, or wild snapdragon,
and share the visual appeal of closely
related ornamentals such as foxglove,
snapdragon, and penstemon.
However, ask rangeland managers and
researchers throughout the Intermountain
West, and they will tell you that there
is nothing beautiful about a field of
toadflax. Significant problems lurk below
the superficial beauty. Sharlene E. Sing,
a USDA Forest Service Rocky Mountain
Research Station (RMRS) research
entomologist located in Bozeman,
Montana, where much of RMRS's
biocontrol research is located, concurs:
"Dalmatian and yellow toadflax number
among the most challenging invasive
weeds to manage in the Intermountain
West."
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