PlantFiles: Tumbleweed, Russian Thistle, Spiny Saltwort
Salsola kali

Tumbleweed is actually common to most of the United States. I have seen huge speciments tumble across the roads on especially windy days. They love very tough locations like cracks in concrete and asphalt, will thrive on very little soil. Very common on concrete road divider, declining commerical properties, dead parking lots, islands in parking lot when not controlled by landscape services, and even once in a while roadside between the grasses and the tiny ragweeds.

Hard to imagine a positive experience with tumbleweeds??? Read on...The seeds from these can last MANY years, so around here they commonly come up after cultivating the ground. They indicate a salty ground, and in my case, it was hardpan. So, as an experiment, I studied what I could find about these in order to make them useful. Since nothing else would grow in that spot (I tried, it all died, roots couldn't get nutrients from that kind of soil), I allowed the russian thistle to grow and absorb the salt (their job in life), which was likely in the form of potassium sulfate. The plant converts it to nutrients, so I planned to use them as mulch to put the potassium back into the soil. The key to prevent the propagation of these plants, is to wait to pull them until after they have bloomed, but before they form seed. In this way, their energy is spent, and more of them will likely NOT come up from the runner roots. The blooms need close observation to find. Mine here were tiny little rose shaped pink flowers along the ranches. Late in the planting season, along about midsummer, bean trellises were put in place, tumbleweeds pulled, and hay laid on top of most of the thistle plants (some were too big to mash down). As the roots came up out of the soil, many redworms came up with them. Because the runner roots of the weeds can penetrate the hardpan, tunnels, or elevators, had been made for the worms to come through. The soil quality was unbelievable for such a short time of treatment! And the beans were the best anyone had EVER tasted! Fertilizers were not used for these beans, nor were any other sprays, chemicals, or special treatments. Just old prarie hay mulch on top of tumbleweeds. Now that spot is primed for summer corn this year.

Yes, this is the one in all those western movies.