Invasive Plant

Hound’s tongue

Cynoglossum officinale
Warning icon

Warning

Hound’s tongue is toxic to cattle, deer, pigs, horses, and goats.

About This Species

Hound’s tongue grows on dry, well-drained sites. Each plant can produce 2,000 – 4,000 barbed seeds per year that cling to clothing, livestock, and wildlife. It is considered a noxious weed throughout the province.

How to Identify

One year old Hound’s tongue plants form a rosette with flopping leaves that resemble the shape of a dog’s tongue. In the second year, mature plants develop rough, hairy, wide leaves and red flowers with five petals each. Each flower produces four rounded-triangular seeds covered with hooked prickles.

REPORT TO PROTECT BC’S BIODIVERSITY

Use the app

Observe and report to protect BC’s biodiversity

Report through this website

Use our form to tell us what you’re seeing and where.

CONTACT INFORMATION

INVASIVE SPECIES INFORMATION

Click or drag files to this area to upload. You can upload up to 3 files.
Please include photos of the suspected species to help potential identification by experts.
Please be specific and give us an address if possible.
//

Take Action

Preventing flowering and removing seeds from clothing and pets in place where the seeds are found is the best way to prevent this plant’s spread. Hand-pull plants and/or remove flowering stems before seeds appear.

Play Clean Go

PlayCleanGo

Learn about best practices

Go Further

Identify

Help protect BC from Invasive Species.