tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post114783272673105954..comments2024-03-09T13:49:36.566-06:00Comments on Prairie Bluestem: Tenacious thistleGenevieve Netzhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08004780820713448880noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1147953552726147662006-05-18T06:59:00.000-05:002006-05-18T06:59:00.000-05:00I'm really glad you stopped by r.r. blog, and I ho...I'm really glad you stopped by r.r. blog, and I hope you'll visit again. :)<BR/><BR/>I think I know the plant you are talking about. We had a <A HREF="http://www.desertusa.com/mag01/may/papr/tweed.html" REL="nofollow">Russian Thistle</A> we called a <A HREF="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tumbleweed" REL="nofollow">tumbleweed</A> in the Nebraska Sandhills. It was a local "thing" in Nebraska in the 1960's to make a <A HREF="http://www.prairietumbleweedfarm.com/" REL="nofollow">Christmas tumbleweed</A> by stacking several prickly tumbleweeds of graduated sizes and spray painting them silver. A Google <A HREF="http://www.google.com/search?as_q=Christmas+tumbleweed&num=100&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&btnG=Google+Search&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&lr=&as_ft=i&as_filetype=&as_qdr=all&as_occt=any&as_dt=i&as_sitesearch=&as_rights=&safe=images" REL="nofollow">search for "Christmas Tumbleweed"</A> reveals many modern day interpretations of the idea, including this <A HREF="http://www.littlemesahouse.com/tumbleweed.htm" REL="nofollow">giant tumbleweed tree</A> in Chandler, Arizona.Genevieve Netzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08004780820713448880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1147930293384579102006-05-18T00:31:00.000-05:002006-05-18T00:31:00.000-05:00We get different thistles in the desert, call them...We get different thistles in the desert, call them Tumbleweeds. I like your perspectives! (Found you thru Clix-Pix!)Blog-Signerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17297331628202959919noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1147881925036667172006-05-17T11:05:00.000-05:002006-05-17T11:05:00.000-05:00I read in one description of the sowthistle that i...I read in one description of the sowthistle that its leaves can be up to a foot in length!!! That's a lot of prickly surface area.<BR/><BR/>The problem is that a weed like this, if unchecked, can completely take over a pasture or a field.<BR/><BR/>We went to Glasgow, Kentucky, some years back to buy a puppy. At the farm with the kennel, they had a pasture that was nothing but thistles in bloom. It was swarming with goldfinches (who love thistleseed.) I've never seen anything like it. It was truly an unforgettable sight for many reasons.Genevieve Netzhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08004780820713448880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20637018.post-1147858944507337152006-05-17T04:42:00.000-05:002006-05-17T04:42:00.000-05:00We also have this plant and it is nasty. Farmers i...We also have this plant and it is nasty. Farmers in particular hate it especially as it has become an almost evergreen weed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com