Pest Photo

Steve Dewey, Utah State University, Bugwood.org

Common Russian thistle

Salsola tragus

Common Russian thistle (Salsola tragus) is an invasive plant. It was first detected in South Dakota in 1877.

Salsola tragus has naturalized to the point where it is regarded by many American people as native, changing the North American Great Plains plant community forever. Tumbleweeds of this species are such a common symbol in Westerns, where they are used to indicate an abandoned area.