Buzz
While most plants thrive in one spot, a tumbleweed can travel miles across open ground. In the video below, The Kid Should See This dives into what turns these unique weeds into the wandering nomads of the West.
When you think of a tumbleweed, you probably imagine a dead plant. However, the live version of the tumbleweed is known as a Russian thistle. Like many plants, it blooms and dies within one season, but instead of relying on animals to spread its seeds, it detaches from its roots and disperses the next generation on its own. The wind carries the dry bush across desolate lands, where new plants can grow without competition from other vegetation. As it rolls, tiny seeds packed with curled embryos are released from its prickly leaves.
Although tumbleweeds have become an iconic image of the Wild West, their origins trace back to Eastern Europe. They likely came to the U.S. as stowaways in shipments of flax seeds in the 19th century.
Some residents in the West aren't too happy with the European transplant. Recently, the California town of Victorville was overwhelmed by tumbleweeds when winds nearing 50 mph blew in from the Mojave Desert. In some instances, the tumbleweeds gathered at doorsteps, trapping people inside their homes.
