Cactus Camping

As we were walking the dog on a blustery evening, an Ace Hardware plastic bag caught the wind and tumbled down the road ahead of us. I was reminded of the days when only tumbleweeds rolled down the road, not plastic bags.

Tumbleweed, Salsola iberica, is iconic of the wild west. According to Plants of Arizona by Epple, the tumbleweed has only been in the U.S. for 140 years and was accidentally introduced to South Dakota in a flax seed shipment from Russia. This invasive plant distributes its seeds when the dry branches break off and roll away on the wind. It’s surprising to discover that this plant that we associate with barren, abandoned landscapes is rather beautiful with red stems and tiny, delicate white flowers. Tumbleweed can be found all over Arizona.