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Stiff Tumbleweed

Amaranthus albus

Last reviewed: August 2026

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

Toxicity unknown

Stiff Tumbleweed (Amaranthus albus) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

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

Before you buy

Your city may pay you to plant this

Cities and water utilities offer rebates for replacing lawn with native and water-wise plants. We track 452 programs across 44 states, each with a link to the provider and the date we last checked it.

Find rebates in your area

Browse plants for this ecoregion

Coast RangeNorthwestern Forested MountainsSierra NevadaCentral California Foothills and Coastal MountainsCentral California ValleySouthern California MountainsCentral Basin and RangeMojave Basin and RangeNorth American DesertsSouthern RockiesArizona/New Mexico MountainsChihuahuan DesertsHigh PlainsSouthwestern TablelandsCentral Great PlainsCross TimbersEdwards PlateauTexas Blackland PrairiesEast Central Texas PlainsSouth Central PlainsPiedmontMiddle Atlantic Coastal PlainNorthern PiedmontSoutheastern PlainsRidge and ValleyWestern Allegheny PlateauInterior PlateauInterior River Valleys and HillsMississippi Alluvial PlainMadrean ArchipelagoSonoran Basin and RangeSouthern California/Northern Baja Coast

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.

Common questions

How much sun does Stiff Tumbleweed need?
Stiff Tumbleweed grows best in full sun conditions.
When does Stiff Tumbleweed bloom?
Stiff Tumbleweed blooms in June, July, August, and September.
Where is Stiff Tumbleweed native?
Stiff Tumbleweed (Amaranthus albus) is native to AL, AZ, CA, FL and 12 more states, per vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists.
Is Stiff Tumbleweed HOA-friendly?
Stiff Tumbleweed takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Native range data from vouchered herbarium specimen records and regional native plant society lists. Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

These come up on almost any plant. Each guide lists the likely causes in the order they are worth ruling out, with one thing to check before you act on any of them, and links to the source it came from.

See all plant problem guides

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