Abstract: Ubiquitous in arid regions of the Western U.S., tumbleweed (Russian thistle) is a nuisance, especially when the dried plants become detached and thus highly mobile during seasonal winds. Among the many difficulties tumbleweed poses is its tendency to collect along roadway median barriers or fences where it often ensnares light trash and other common highway debris. The volume of such a buildup is often sufficient to form a barrier across the road shoulder and even to encroach on the driving lanes.