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Russian Thistle (Salsola iberica)
Russian thistle is a member of the Goosefoot family. It was introduced from Russia and is an annual which reproduces by seed. It is a round, bushy, much-branched plant growing 1 to 3-1/2 feet high. The branches are slender, succulent when young, and woody when mature. The leaves are alternate with the first ones being dark green, soft, slender, and 1 to 2-1/2 inches long. These drop off and later leaves are short, stiff, spiny, and not over 1/2 inch long, with two sharp-pointed bracts at the base. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, green-white or pink, and are usually solitary in the leaf axils. Seeds are about 1/16 inch in diameter and conical.
A different species of Russian thistle, Salsola collina, is a problem in proso millet flelds west of Highway 85. Current research shows the two species are identical in control efforts.
Russian thistle grows on dry plains, in cultivated fields, roadsides, and waste places, chiefly in grain-growing areas. At maturity, the plant breaks off at the base and because of its round shape becomes an excellent tumbleweed, scattering seeds for long distances. It is widespread over Colorado up to 8,500 feet.