Russian thistle
noun
: a prickly European saltwort (Kali tragus synonym Salsola kali) that is a serious weed in North America
called also Russian tumbleweed
Examples of Russian thistle in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Several other weeds fall under this law, including Canada thistle, Russian thistle, redroot pigweed, common ragweed and others.
—
Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024
In a matter of days, the baseball field could be covered in an ocean of prickly Russian thistle tumbleweeds.
—Emilie Ikeda, NBC News, 29 Oct. 2024
Other common allergens in Phoenix include: Russian thistle (tumbleweed).
—Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024
Other Arizona plants that cause symptoms include Russian thistle (more commonly known as tumbleweed), mesquite, burrobrush, cocklebur and Arizona ash.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 16 Feb. 2023
Many of the plants are invasive, such as tamarisk and Russian thistle, but there are plenty of native willows coming back, along with 2-foot-high cottonwood seedlings, that will soon provide crucial habitat for songbirds.
—Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 June 2021
In the American southwest — Gornish’s territory — the worst invasive plant is the Russian thistle.
—Jeanne Erdmann, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2020
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Ashlyn Messier, Fox News, 19 Dec. 2024
In a matter of days, the baseball field could be covered in an ocean of prickly Russian thistle tumbleweeds.
—Emilie Ikeda, NBC News, 29 Oct. 2024
Other common allergens in Phoenix include: Russian thistle (tumbleweed).
—Dina Kaur, The Arizona Republic, 18 Mar. 2024
Other Arizona plants that cause symptoms include Russian thistle (more commonly known as tumbleweed), mesquite, burrobrush, cocklebur and Arizona ash.
—Michael Salerno, The Arizona Republic, 16 Feb. 2023
Many of the plants are invasive, such as tamarisk and Russian thistle, but there are plenty of native willows coming back, along with 2-foot-high cottonwood seedlings, that will soon provide crucial habitat for songbirds.
—Brian Maffly, The Salt Lake Tribune, 20 June 2021
In the American southwest — Gornish’s territory — the worst invasive plant is the Russian thistle.
—Jeanne Erdmann, Discover Magazine, 20 May 2020
Cite this Entry
“Russian thistle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/Russian%20thistle. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share