Houndstoungue (Cynoglossum officinale)
Keys to ID:
- Panicles of reddish-purple flowers with five petals and five soft, hairy sepals.
- Velcro-like seeds with four nutlets
Identification:
- Lifecycle: Biennial
- Growth form: Forb
- Flower: Flowers are reddish-purple that bloom in early summer.
- Seeds/Fruit: fruit is composed of 4 prickly nutlets. The nutlets break apart at maturity and cling to clothing or animals; reproduction is solely by seed (Belliston et al. 2004).
- Leaves: Leaves are alternate and range from 1 to 12 inches (2.5 to 25 cm) long, and are rough and hairy (resembling a hounds tongue), and lack teeth or lobes.
- Stem: Produces a single flowering stem; stem is erect, stout, and heavy, growing 1.5 to 3 feet tall.
- Roots: Thick, black woody taproot.
- Seedling: It forms a rosette the first year and sends up a flowering stalk the second year.
- Propagation: Seed
Control:
Mech: Cut or pull, removing entire crown when in the rosette stage. Remove accumulated dense litter layer to allow growth of desirable plants, including stimulating germination. Mow or cut flower stems before seed nutlets develop and bag to prevent seed dispersal.
Cautions:
Do not touch eyes after pulling due to a substance that may irritate eyes.