The Russians Had American Tumbleweed First

You're watching an old cowboy movie, filmed in black-and-white. As the good guy rides into town, you hear a howling breeze and observe tumbleweeds rolling in front of him. There is no one to be seen; there is nothing but unpainted clapboard buildings unoccupied posts for tying up the horses. The howling breeze and tumbleweed stress the feeling you have of desolation, of loneliness.

What is a Tumbleweed?

A tumbleweed is a relatively light plant that, upon reaching maturity, becomes disconnected from its roots. Having a rounded or ball shape, it readily rolls along in the winds and extended dry spells of some western parts of the U.S. It propagates by dispersing seeds as it rolls along, and/or when it comes to rest.

Although there are various plants identified as tumbleweeds, by far the best known is the Russian Thistle. This plant originates in the Steppes of the Ukraine and Russia. Yes, this is something the Russians really did have first. Seeds of the tumbleweed arrived in this country hitchhiking in shipments of imported grain.¹

Although it is the unmistakable icon of the "Wild West," the tumbleweed is viewed as an agricultural nuisance. Tumbleweeds, living in areas already parched, extract immense quantities of water from the soil, contributing to severe drought-related erosion.²

Videos of Tumbleweeds

A picture is worth a thousand words. That being the case, a video must be worth a thousand pictures:

One family in 2007 took this incredible video of tumbleweeds in the Mojave desert. Although the weeds are relatively small in that video, they can get as large as an automobile.

Here is another video of an invasion of tumbleweeds.

Far more incredible is this whirlwind of tumbleweeds filmed in the Australian Outback!

A Special Bonus Presentation!

Ken Curtis (Festus from Gunsmoke) sings Tumbling Tumbleweeds.

¹ The Prairie Tumbleweed Farm

² Washington State University Extension - "Water Conservation, Weed Control Go Hand in Hand," by Robert Parker, Ph.D.

Additional References and Resources:

Levitan, Paul - "Accidental Entrepreneur Linda Katz discovers a niche business, selling tumbleweeds, online," May 6, 2008.

PrattTribune.com - "Tumbleweeds are still a nuisance in Kansas," March 30, 2010.