TUMBLEWEEDS Tumbleweeds are a predator weed that invades disturbed soil all across the country. It is also called Russian Thistle or Wind Witches. The plant gets it Latin name, Salsola, from the word sallere, meaning salt, because it tolerates salty soil.
Inconspicuous
green flowers grow at axils (where leaf branches off of stem) of the
upper leaves, each one accompanied by a pair of spiny bracts. Mice,
bighorn sheep and pronghorn eat the tender shoots.
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THE
TOWN NEEDS YOUR HELP Mow before the plant goes to seed. Compost or transport while it is still green, otherwise you will spread more seeds.
Each plant is capable of dispersing 250,000 seeds. Plant competitive species of plants. Tumbleweeds don’t like lawn or well-irrigated gardens. Don't let the weeds pile up against fences or in ditches. Tumbleweeds Invade Colorado Springs
OR you can feed the young plants as silage to your stock. |