Tumbleweed is the popular name for several plants that grow in the prairie and plains regions of the United States. These plants develop rounded tops, and in autumn they wither and break off at the ground level. The dried plants are then carried or tumbled about by the wind, like great, light balls. As they move, they scatter their seeds about over the plains. These plants are considered great pests by farmers and ranchers. Tumbleweeds often pile up against barbed-wire fences or fill small gullies.
The common tumbleweeds include the Russian thistle and an amaranth. All tumbleweeds are annuals–that is, they grow from seed to maturity and then die within one year.
