North Carolina Wildflowers, Shrubs, & Trees

by Jeffrey S. Pippen | Back to Jeff's Plant Page | Jeff's Nature Pages


Plantaginaceae > Linaria (including Nuttallanthus) (toadflax)

Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax (Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis) Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax
(Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis)
Sampson Co., NC
25 March 2007

Statewide and common in North Carolina, this wildflower grows in a variety of often disturbed habitats.

Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax (Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis) Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax
(Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis)
Sampson Co., NC
25 March 2007

As you can see by the names above, this plant has had various identity crises. Traditionally placed in the Scrophulariaceae, current evidence shows it belongs in the Plantaginaceae.

Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax (Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis) Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax
(Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis)
Montgomery Co., NC
17 May 2013
Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax (Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis) Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax
(Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis)
Montgomery Co., NC
17 May 2013
Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax (Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis) Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax
(Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis)
Sampson Co., NC
25 March 2007

Note the tiny stem leaves.

Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax (Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis) Blue Toadflax, Canada Toadflax, American Toadflax
(Nuttallanthus canadensis, Linaria canadensis)
Montgomery Co., NC
17 May 2013

Butter-and-eggs, Yellow Toadflax, Wild-snapdragon (Linaria vulgaris) Butter-and-eggs, Yellow Toadflax, Wild-snapdragon (Linaria vulgaris)
Max Patch in Madison Co., NC
9 June 2009

Introduced from Europe this flower is common in open areas in the NC mountains, uncommon in the piedmont, and rare in the coastal plain.

Butter-and-eggs, Yellow Toadflax, Wild-snapdragon (Linaria vulgaris) Butter-and-eggs, Yellow Toadflax, Wild-snapdragon (Linaria vulgaris)
Max Patch in Madison Co., NC
9 June 2009

Butter-and-eggs, Yellow Toadflax, Wild-snapdragon (Linaria vulgaris) Butter-and-eggs, Yellow Toadflax, Wild-snapdragon (Linaria vulgaris)
Max Patch in Madison Co., NC
9 June 2009


Annotated habitat and distribution information listed above is from Radford, Ahles, & Bell. 1968. Manual of the Vascular Flora of the Carolinas. UNC Press; Alan Weakley's Flora of the Carolinas, Virginia, and Georgia; and from personal observations and discussions with Will Cook, Harry LeGrand, and Bob Wilbur. Supplemental resources include USDA plants website, and NatureServe.


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Created on ... Mar 30, 2007 | jeffpippen9@gmail.com