Amaranthus albus
Tumbleweed, Tumbleweed
(c) W. Terry Hunefeld, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by W. Terry Hunefeld · licence
Family: Amaranthaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Amaranthus albus (Tumbleweed) is a non-native California herb in the Amaranthaceae family, recognized by . Key features: white woolly stems, deciduous leaves, axillary clusters only.
Tumbleweed is a naturalized annual found in California's disturbed areas, roadsides, riverbanks, and agricultural fields at elevations below 2,500 meters. Flowering from June to October, this plant produces small green flowers in axillary clusters with delicate white-woolly branches. Growing prostrate to erect with multiple branches up to one meter tall, it spreads widely across disturbed landscapes. Its leaves are elliptic to obovate, with base wedge-shaped and margins slightly wavy, typically 40 to 80 millimeters long and 15 to 30 millimeters wide. The fruit is a small ellipsoid capsule that splits circumscissile, releasing smooth, shiny red-brown seeds about one millimeter long.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 18 sympatric species. Key features: white woolly stems, deciduous leaves, axillary clusters only
Habitat and range
Habitat: Disturbed areas, roadsides, riverbanks, sandy places, agricultural fields
Elevation: < 2500 m
California counties: San Bernardino, Ventura, Kern, El Dorado, San Diego, Fresno, Santa Clara, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, Inyo, Monterey, Orange, Riverside, Alameda, Amador, Butte, Lake, Sonoma, Nevada, Contra Costa, Tulare, Merced, Imperial, San Francisco, San Mateo, Plumas, Tehama, San Luis Obispo, Mariposa, Mono, Stanislaus, Glenn, Calaveras, Sutter, San Joaquin, Sacramento, Colusa, Placer, Modoc, Solano, Yolo, Lassen, Yuba, Sierra, Napa, Madera, Marin, Trinity, Siskiyou, Humboldt, Mendocino, Santa Cruz
Outside California: North America, cosmopolitan, native to central North America
Bloom period
Amaranthus albus blooms Jun-Oct.
How to tell it apart
vs Celosia: Amaranthus has bristly flower spikes; Celosia has showy velvety flower plumes or crested combs.; vs Rumex: Amaranthus has dense bristly flower clusters; Rumex has flowers in whorls along stems with papery wings on fruits.; vs Salsola: Amaranthus has soft oval leaves and clustered flowers; Salsola has spine-tipped leaves and papery winged fruits.; vs Euphorbia: Amaranthus lacks milky sap and has separate male/female flowers; Euphorbia has milky sap and cup-like flower clusters.; vs Chenopodium: Amaranthus has bristly flower clusters; Chenopodium has mealy-coated leaves and flowers in loose balls.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amaranthus albus native to California?
No. Amaranthus albus is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Amaranthus albus bloom?
Amaranthus albus blooms Jun-Oct.
Where in California does Amaranthus albus grow?
Amaranthus albus occurs in San Bernardino, Ventura, Kern, El Dorado, San Diego, Fresno, Santa Clara, Los Angeles and other counties, at elevations of < 2500 m.
What plant family does Amaranthus albus belong to?
Amaranthus albus is in the Amaranthaceae family, genus Amaranthus.
What habitat does Amaranthus albus grow in?
Amaranthus albus grows in Disturbed areas, roadsides, riverbanks, sandy places, agricultural fields.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-08
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.