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Most Excellent Weed Gallery

Pigweed Family - Tumbleweed

              

Amaranthaceae - Amaranth (Pigweed) family
Tumbleweed (Prickly Russian Thistle) Salsola tragus
This plant is so common it is regarded as an icon of the Western US. Plant grows to about 4 feet tall and wide. Leaves are long and thin, stiff and spine-tipped when mature. When dry the plant breaks at the base and blows in the wind distributing its seed.
Photos taken in Taylor County, Texas, November 2006
(Introduced, native of Eurasia, invasive)

Similar Species

Russian Thistle Salsola kali
Flower similar. Leaves short with white/pink spine.
(Introduced, native of Eurasia, invasive)