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Stiff Tumbleweed

Amaranthus albus

Last reviewed: June 2026

Stiff Tumbleweed (Amaranthus albus)
Photo: (c) W. Terry Hunefeld, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by W. Terry Hunefeld

Light

full sun

Water

low

Size

12"–36" H × 12"–24" W

Bloom

Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Native to

AL, AZ, CA, FL and 12 more states

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Coast RangeSierra NevadaCentral California ValleyCentral California Foothills and Coastal MountainsSouthern California/Northern Baja CoastCentral Basin and RangeMojave Basin and RangeChihuahuan DesertsCentral Oklahoma/Texas PlainsEdwards PlateauTexas Blackland PrairiesEast Central Texas PlainsSouth Central PlainsSonoran Basin and Range

Stiff tumbleweed is a low-growing annual wildflower with small, inconspicuous greenish flowers from summer through early fall. This drought-tolerant plant forms bushy clumps that can break off and tumble when mature and dry.

In an HOA neighborhood

Stiff Tumbleweed takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

  • Common name includes 'tumbleweed' which has negative associations
  • Can look weedy and unkempt throughout growing season
  • May break off and blow around property when mature

Wildlife value

This plant provides seeds for birds and small mammals in late summer and fall when other food sources may be scarce.

Native range data from the USDA PLANTS Database and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

Does Stiff Tumbleweed fit your yard? Open it in Pollinator Patch to check it against your sun, soil, and HOA-conscious filters.

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