Stem
- Up to 4 ft. tall and covered with long hairs
Leaves
- Alternate; resemble a hound’s tongue; lance-shaped, 1-12 in. long, 1-3 in. wide, rough texture and covered with long hairs; edges (margins) lack teeth and lobes
- Leaf stems (petioles) on lower but not upper leaves; leaves decrease in size from bottom to top of plant
Flower
- Purplish-red flowers with 5 petals; occur in clusters
- 4 nutlets (seeds) per flower, 0.25 in. long and brownish at maturity; covered with short prickles that can attach to clothing or animal fur
Other
- Grows best in moist areas; often found in pastures, roadsides, fencelines, waste areas and along waterways; known to occur in Elko, Lincoln and White Pine counties
- Biennial, but sometimes annual or perennial; reproduces by seed
- Toxic to livestock, especially horses; has a distinctive odor that may cause animals to avoid
Photo of houndstongue seeds
Control
- Mowing or tillage prior to seed production is effective
- Apply 2,4-D or glyphosate to actively growing plants prior to bloom; aminopyralid, chlorsulfuron, imazapic, imazapyr, metsulfuron or picloram pre- to post emergence
Blecker, L., Creech, E., Dick, J., Gephart, S., Hefner, M., Kratsch, H., Moe, A., Schultz, B.
2020,
Nevada Noxious Weed Field Guide – Houndstongue,
Extension, University of Nevada, Reno, Field Guide
