# Prickly Russian Thistle (*Salsola tragus*) The Prickly Russian Thistle is a spiky plant that can grow very tall! It has sharp leaves and can roll around in the wind, making it look like it's dancing in the fields. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Prickly Russian Thistle](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Salsola_tragus.jpg&width=800) Photo: Forest & Kim Starr, CC BY 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Salsola_tragus.jpg) ## Appearance The Prickly Russian Thistle has a bushy, rounded form with numerous branched stems densely covered in sharp, needle-like leaves, ranging from bright green to reddish-purple. Its tiny, inconspicuous flowers are nestled in the leaf axils. When mature, it dries into a distinctive tan, spherical tumbleweed. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Caryophyllales - **Family:** Amaranthaceae - **Genus:** Salsola ## Interesting facts - A single Prickly Russian Thistle can produce up to 250,000 tiny seeds! Wow! - Dried Russian Thistle tumbleweeds can pile up against fences, becoming fire hazards! Wow! - Its rolling tumbleweed form can travel over 100 miles, spreading its seeds far! Wow! - This plant was accidentally brought to the US inside flax seeds in the 1870s! Wow! ## Special abilities - **Tumbleweed Traveler:** Prickly Russian Thistle can break off at its base and roll in the wind, scattering its seeds far and wide across new territories. - **Salt Survivor:** Prickly Russian Thistle has a high tolerance for salty soils, allowing it to thrive where many other plants cannot survive. - **Rapid Rival:** Prickly Russian Thistle can grow incredibly fast, quickly outcompeting other plants for sunlight and water in disturbed areas. - **Spiny Shield:** Prickly Russian Thistle has sharp, rigid spines that protect it from most hungry herbivores, deterring them from taking a bite. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 30-150 cm - **Spread:** 30-150 cm - **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.5 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer to fall - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Annual - **Pollination Method:** Wind ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Cattle](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cattle) (*Bos taurus*) — Young plants provide emergency forage for livestock. - **Eaten by:** [Sheep](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sheep) (*Ovis aries*) — Sheep graze on the less spiny shoots, especially in dry periods. - **Eaten by:** [Pallid-winged Grasshopper](https://www.snappit.app/explore/pallid-winged-grasshopper) (*Trimerotropis pallidipennis*) — Grasshopper nymphs feed on the leaves and stems. - **Parasitizes:** Russian Thistle Rust (*Uromyces salsolae*) — This fungus infects the leaves and stems, weakening the plant. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Shrub](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/shrub): A shrub is a woody plant smaller than a tree, typically with multiple stems branching from or near the ground. - [Thorny Stem](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/thorny-stem): Pertaining to plants that have stems covered with sharp, pointed projections for defense. - [Drought Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/drought-tolerant): Drought-tolerant plants can survive and flourish in conditions with limited water availability. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Rapid Growing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/rapid-growing): Rapid growing plants exhibit accelerated growth rates, quickly increasing in size and biomass within a short period. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Invasive](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/invasive): Invasive species are non-native organisms that cause harm to the environment, economy, or human health. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Be careful around this plant because its spikes can poke you. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Prickly Russian Thistle? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is Prickly Russian Thistle? 30-150 cm ### How wide does Prickly Russian Thistle spread? 30-150 cm ### How big are the flowers on Prickly Russian Thistle? 0.2-0.5 cm ### When does Prickly Russian Thistle bloom? Summer to fall ### Is Prickly Russian Thistle edible? Yes ### Is Prickly Russian Thistle toxic? None ### What is Prickly Russian Thistle's lifecycle? Annual ## Where to spot - [Monument Rocks](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/monument-rocks) — Kansas, US · Nature Reserve - [Agate Desert](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/agate-desert) — Oregon, US · Nature Reserve - [Fossil Lake](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fossil-lake) — Oregon, US · Natural Landmark - [Fort Walla Walla](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/fort-walla-walla) — Washington, US · Historic Site - [Charbonneau Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/charbonneau-park) — Washington, US · Park [View all places to see Prickly Russian Thistle](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/prickly-russian-thistle) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Prickly Russian Thistle: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/prickly-russian-thistle)