The truth about tumbleweed | BBC Global

Tumbleweed is one of the most iconic symbols of the old American West, made famous by countless cowboy films.

But this invasive plant did not actually reach US shores until the latter part of the 19th Century.

Here's the story of where they came from, and how they came to dominate the mainland so quickly.



#bbc #US #nature

[jaxsun]

I'm glad somebody's finally telling the truth about the tumbleweed. I'm so tired of the Tumbleweed and all its filthy lies.

[rickkaylor]

I live in southern California and Russian thistle grows all over the place. I understand that when the plants are very young you can eat them. I was driving south of Bakersfield a few years ago during a heavy wind and the freeway almost came to a standstill because there were thousands of tumbleweeds blowing across the road. It looked like an alien invasion.

[cyclemadness]

I live in desert CA. Came home one evening. A 5 foot high pile as big as a car was blocking my driveway.

[dru]

Learning Tumble weeds are russian puts a whole different spin to the Western movies 😂

[mikel]

A few years ago the wind somehow blew a tumbleweed over a 6' wall and into my backyard. I thought I'd just lift it up and toss it back over. It was light as a feather so I easily lifted it over my head. Then it spontaneously disintegrated into a million pieces of shrapnel that covered me from head to toe, going down my shirt and embedding into the fabric.

[simonhadley]

After dealing with tumbleweed for years I am convinced that it has a low grade toxicity. Every time I did a round up and burn I would be sick for a day or two.

[Yuri_Petrov]

In Russian it is called Перекати-поле (perekati-pole) which can be roughly translated as "roll-the-field"

[Tom_i_Jerry]

In Kazakhstan they prohibited burning tumbleweeds. We used them as firewood for preparing shashlyk. It is the best firewood for that purpose. Weird to hear that on the other side of the Earth, you are allowed to burn it. Why can't we?! Also, tumbleweed originates from Eurasian steppes, and there is nothing Russian about it. It is more associated with Eurasian nomadic cultures in Russia itself.

[Phlegethon]

Tumbleweeds are the worst. If you don’t feel that way it’s cause you’ve never had tumbleweeds slam into your tiny rental car in pitch black while the wind blows on it on the highway

[MarSchlosser]

Russian Mennonites brought it to the US in the late 19th century. They took it south into Mexico in what today is the Zona Mennonita. There, Russian thistle is rare, tho there are plenty of farms and ranches. They raise cattle and goats, and goats love the stuff as much as sheep. Early stages of growth is good feed. Here in this area of Arizona, we have it in town, but in ranch lands, it's rare thanks to wild animals and livestock. Harvester ant, quail, thrashers and others love the seeds. Fanning mills will lose most of the seeds while saving the grain.

[tommunyon]

My grandfather, who had to take the family back near his father's homestead during the Great Depression (ending up in the midst of the Dustbowl), called them "Roo-shun" thistles.

[timberwolfdtproductions]

Plenty of Russian Thistle in western Canada too. Near the coast they can grow up to 8 or 9 feet tall, but rot when winter comes. In the desert and semi-desert regions of B.C., they easily grow to 4 feet round and dry out and tumble. We also have Antelope Bush, which does much the same.

[zzappligator]

Drying paint, crickets and tumbleweeds tumbling, these are a few of of my favorite things.

[adsteel]

Tumbleweed is a class of weed made up of about 10 plants, including Russian Thistle, Tumbleweed Mustard, and more.

[GummyBearWA]

We took about 30 small tumbleweeds back to Florida in the mid-80s. They were 8"-12" each, and we put them in flower pots with plaster of Paris. Then we sprayed them green, and flocked them. A string of tiny lights, some tiny ornaments and garland, and viola "Colorado Christmas Trees! We sold them to the tourists for $30-$80.

[SledDog]

Despicable plant!
Have to admit I've seen some adorable snowmen created out of them. Sprayed white, with a knitted scarf, etc....- the whole sha-bang.

[WeazelJaguar]

I saw them last fall, driving from Sothern California to British Columbia, saw them everywhere!
The scariest was blowing across thevroad, while driving at night!

[jeffs]

I live in WY & can tell you that they can be a pain when a wind storm piles them around your house

[Emiliapocalypse]

From the comments I’m reading, it seems like goats may be a potential solution 🐐

[nobodysanything]

As someone that doesn't have to live with them when you play a plaintive guitar over a tumbleweed it is still romantic to me