Did tumbleweeds first appear in the US in South Dakota?

The common tumbleweed, a frequent symbol of the Old West in Hollywood movies and a bane of farmers and ranchers’  existence, was first discovered in South Dakota in 1873 but originates in Europe and central Asia.

Tumbleweeds, or Russian thistle, first appeared in North America in Bon Homme County, after its seeds were mixed in with flaxseed and inadvertently planted. Tumbleweed thrives in loose soil that has been plowed for other crops, and as farmers in the late 1880s cleared land, the thistle bloomed.

Once the plant matures and becomes stiff, it can cause wounds to farmers and animals and lead to extensive crop losses.

Its growth can also be attributed to the fact that it was difficult to distinguish the thistle seeds from other grains, leading to further dispersal.

Control methods are being tested, but the variety of species makes targeting difficult.