Tumbleweed (disambiguation) facts for kids

A tumbleweed is a special part of some plants. When these plants get dry, they break off from their roots and roll away in the wind. This helps them spread their seeds far and wide! You often see tumbleweeds rolling across empty landscapes in movies, especially Westerns.

What is a Tumbleweed?

A tumbleweed isn't a specific type of plant. Instead, it's a way some plants behave. When these plants grow, they produce many seeds. As the plant dries out, its stem becomes weak. Eventually, it breaks off from its roots. The wind then pushes the dry, round plant body across the ground.

How Tumbleweeds Spread Seeds

Rolling helps the plant spread its seeds. As the tumbleweed bounces and rolls, its seeds fall out along the way. This means new plants can grow in many different places. It's a clever way for plants to make sure their babies have a chance to grow! You can often see tumbleweeds in dry, open areas like deserts or prairies.

Plants That Become Tumbleweeds

Many different kinds of plants can become tumbleweeds. They all share the ability to break off and roll. Here are a few examples:

• Russian Thistle (Salsola tragus): This is the most famous tumbleweed, often seen in Western films. It's not from Russia, but it became very common in parts of North America.
• Amaranth (Amaranthus albus): Some types of amaranth, which can also be called pigweed, dry out and roll.
• Rose of Jericho (Anastatica or Selaginella lepidophylla): This plant is amazing! It curls up when dry and uncurls when it gets water. It can also become a tumbleweed.
• Diffuse Knapweed (Centaurea diffusa): This plant is known for being very invasive, meaning it spreads quickly and can take over areas.
• Tumbleweed Mustard (Sisymbrium altissimum): This plant grows tall and bushy, then breaks off to roll.

Other Uses of the Name Tumbleweed

The word "tumbleweed" is also used for other things, often because they remind people of the rolling plant.

• Movies: Several films have been named Tumbleweeds, like a 1925 silent film and a 1999 drama.
• Music: There are bands called Tumbleweed, including an Australian rock band and a New Zealand country band.
• Comic Strip: Tumbleweeds was a popular comic strip about cowboys and the Wild West.
• Computers: Tumbleweed is also the name of a special version of the openSUSE Linux computer operating system.