Canadian Toadflax - Linaria canadensis

Canadian toadflax (Linaria canadensis) is a slender biennial common to all of Florida and to virtually all of the U.S. and Canada except the arid western plains and desert states.  This member of the snapdragon family is noticeable along roadsides and open fields  in average to upland sites and can form a light lavender carpet that covers hundreds of acres in rural pasturelands during the spring in Florida.
The leaves of Canadian toadflax are narrowly linear in shape and less than 1-inch in length. The stems reach 1-2 feet tall during the spring blooming season.  Individual plants are exceptionally thin with very short side branches.
Unlike bay lobelia (L. feayanna), the flowers are composed of 4 petals, not 5, and they are evenly spaced and distinctly rounded in shape. The petals are a light lavender with a broad white patch in the middle.  Overall, the flowers are quite small - rarely more than 1/4 inch across/wide.
Following its 1-month blooming season, Canadian toadflax quickly goes to seed and dies.
Its diminutive size and biennial nature make this species an unlikely candidate for use in landscapes. In mass, however, it makes a stunning display from afar. Look for it in spring and admire it for that quality.