Hear The Shocking Truth About An Iconic West Texas Plant In This Viral Video
When you think of West Texas you think of the oil field, dirt, and rolling tumbleweeds.
I was scrolling through Instagram and came across a video that blew my mind! In the viral post, they talk about our most famous plant, the tumbleweed. You are wondering what could be so shocking about the tumbleweed. It is not a plant native to Texas!
WHERE IS THE TUMBLEWEED FROM?
Tumbleweed is also known as Russian Thistle and as you can tell by the name, it is not native to North America. Its first known appearance was in South Dakota and is thought to have gotten snuck in on a shipment of flaxseeds in the 1870s from the Russian Empire.
Farmers were the first to notice this new plant in America. The Russian Thistle does excellent in loose, disturbed soil with little to no plants around. Farmers in the Great Plains cut down all the prairie grass and other native plants to make space for crops. Little did they know, they created the perfect habitat for the tumbleweed to thrive in and take over.
The arrival and spread of the tumbleweed is one of the fastest plant invasions the United States has experienced. Currently, you can find it in all states except Alaska and Florida.
THE VIDEO WEST TEXANS NEED TO WATCH
I have always thought that Tumbleweeds and I were both born and raised in West Texas, but as you read that is not true. Watch these two Texans react to the tumbleweed not being a Texas native. You will probably relate more than you think!
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