THE RUSSIAN THISTLE CRISIS
KATHRYN MILLER AND MICHAEL HONER

 

 

THISTLES

THISTLE

THISTLE

PHOTOS BY MICHAEL HONER

SEEDS OF THE RUSSIAN THISTLE OR TUMBLEWEED WERE APPARENTLY MIXED IN WITH A SHIPMENT OF FLAX SEED FROM EUROPE THAT ARRIVED IN BON HOMME COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA IN THE 1870’S. BY 1881 THE U.S. SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE REPORTED THE SPREAD OF THIS TUMBLING WEED ON THE NORTHERN GREAT PLAINS.  RUSSIAN IMMIGRANTS RECOGNIZED THESE PLANTS FROM THE ODESSA STEPPES IN SOUTHERN RUSSIA, HENCE THE NAME RUSSIAN THISTLE.

BY ACCIDENTALLY SOWING THEIR OWN CONTAMINATED SEED AND BY PLOWING MORE VIRGIN PRAIRIE LAND THAN COULD BE PLANTED, FARMERS HELPED TO FURTHER EXPAND THE HABITAT FOR THIS SPECIES.  TUMBLEWEEDS, HAVING THEIR OWN EFFICIENT SCHEMES OF REPRODUCTION, ADDED TO THIS PROLIFERATION. BY GROWING UNDER HARSH CONDITIONS OF DROUGHT AND POOR SOIL, THESE DISEASE-RESISTANT AND SALT-TOLERANT PLANTS FLOURISH IN OVERGRAZED RANGES AND AGRICULTURALLY DISTURBED AREAS.

AFTER FLOWERING AND DEVELOPING THEIR CHARACTERISTIC ROUND SHAPE, THE PLANTS BREAK FREE FROM THEIR ROOTS UNDER WINDY CONDITIONS AND BEGIN THEIR ROLLING, BOUNCING AND SOMETIMES AIR-BORNE JOURNEY.  OVER 200,000 SEEDS PER PLANT ARE SCATTERED ALONG THE WAY.

 

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