Russian Thistle. Salsola tragus, Goosefoot Family ( Chenopodiaceae ), Russian Thistle. Also called: Tumbleweed, Prickly Russian Thistle, or Wind Witch. We wish to thank Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for some of the information on this page. We share images and information with Wikipedia. Russian Thistle's seedling and juvenile plant�s bright green, succulent, grass-like shoots, which are usually red or purple striped. Inconspicuous green flowers grow at axils (where leaf branches off of stem) of the upper leaves, each one accompanied by a pair of spiny bracts. The mature plants are spherical bushes up to 5 feet tall. After they turn grayish brown, the plants break away from the roots at the soil line, becoming tumbleweeds that scatter their seeds. Russian Thistle or Tumbleweeds were first reported in the United States around 1877 in Bon Homme County, South Dakota, it is thought they were transported in flax seed imported by Ukrainian farmers. Thus, the name Russian Thistle! Quick Notes: Height: Up to 5 feet tall and just about as wide. Flowers: The flowers are small, inconspicuous, green-white or pink, and are usually solitary in the leaf axils. Flowering Time: March - April. Fruit & Seeds: Seeds are round and snail-shaped, white to pink colored, about 1/16 inch in diameter. Leaves: The leaves are alternate the first ones being dark green, soft, slender, and about 1 to 2 - 1/2 inches long. These drop off and the later leaves are short, stiff, spiny, about 1/2 inch long, with two sharp-pointed bracts at the base. Found: Native to the USA (AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY). Also native to Canada (AB, BC, LB, MB, NB, NF, NS, ON, PE, QC, SK). Also native to France (SPM). Also native to northern Mexico in northern Sonora, northern Chihuahua, Baja Norte, Baja California, & Coahuila. Hardiness: USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 �C (-40 �F) USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 �C (-35 �F) USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 �C (-30 �F) USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 �C (-25 �F) USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 �C (-20 �F) USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 �C (-15 �F) USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 �C (-10 �F) USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 �C (-5 �F) USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 �C (0 �F) USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 �C (5 �F) USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 �C (10 �F) USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 �C (15 �F) USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 �C (20 �F) USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 �C (25 �F) USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 �C (30 �F) USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 �C (35 �F) USDA Zone 11: above 4.5 �C (40 �F) Soil pH requirements: 5.6 to 6.0 (acidic) 6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic) 6.6 to 7.5 (neutral) 7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline) 7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline) Sun Exposure: Full Sun Elevation: 0 - 8,000 Feet. Habitat: Found on dry plains, cultivated fields, roadsides, and waste places. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken , March 21, 2003. In Glendale, Arizona.