“Tumbleweeds: The Wild Plant That Rolls and Invades”

A plant that rolls itself up for several meters. If you have not seen them before, you will be surprised to see this move. Tumbleweed is the name given to the plants in this category because of this ability to roll on its own. But tumbleweeds are not something to be dismissed as just a plant. A few days ago they shook an entire area in California. Thousands of six-foot-tall tumbleweeds rolled up, covering streets and homes in Victorville.

But these don’t just roll around. There is a reason behind it. Unlike other plants, they grow in barren areas. More specifically, in areas where you can roll without any obstacles. They grow in soil just like normal plants. Tumbleweeds with pale pink stems bloom in late winter. By the time summer arrives, the plant will be almost fully grown.

Each plant grows in a circular shape. Tumbleweeds are characterized by their prickly leaves. There are flowers in yellow, white and pink colors. Later these flowers turn into small fruits. Each fruit contains only one seed. Usually, the seeds of other plants are eaten by animals and birds and spread to many areas. But tumbleweeds take on the task of dispersing seeds themselves.

Tumbleweeds also have a special formula for that. By the end of winter, the plant will be completely burnt. The seeds can also be hidden among the dry leaves. And waiting for the wind to arrive. By then the roots of the plant will be ready to break easily. If the wind is a little strong, the roots will break and the plants will start rolling. While rolling like this, they scatter seeds along the way.

The seeds sown in this way usually grow into a new plant during the next rainy season. Although they can be found widely in California, they are not native here. They came to America from Ukraine and Russia. Another name for tumbleweeds found in California is Russian thistle. The researchers concluded that tumbleweeds arrived in America with hemp seeds exported from Europe in the 1870s. However, eventually, tumbleweeds came to dominate many areas of the United States by interbreeding with other agricultural seeds and self-sowing.

While rolling singly and in groups, they scatter thousands of seeds along their path. They can reach heights of over six feet in the most suitable growing conditions. Although not inherently harmful, they are a driver’s nightmare in many areas. There are many accidents when the vehicle is cut by the huge plant that suddenly rolls in front of it and in the case of two-wheelers, it hits the plant and overturns. In view of this situation, Tumbleweeds are being removed under the leadership of the Transport Department in the areas where they grow in clusters.

In Washington and Idaho, they are causing headaches for farmers when they take root in their fields. Apart from this, it is common for plants to roll over and clog irrigation systems etc. So if tumbleweeds are seen growing, farmers will remove them with herbicides. In urban areas where tumbleweeds are found in large numbers, emergency services may be required to remove them. Due to the fact that these are dry plants, the authorities are being very careful in this regard in view of the possibility of fire. In areas like Palm Dale and Lancaster, it is estimated that the administration of Los Angeles County has to spend more than one crore rupees annually to remove the nuisance of tumbleweeds.

nglish Summary: Tumbleweeds: the fastest plant invasion in the USA’s history