What is tumbleweed? Can it be eaten?

1. What is the dish?

Tumbleweeds can be eaten as wild vegetables. In addition to being eaten cold, they can also be used for stir-frying and making soup. Tumbleweed, also known as Russian spiny sand tumbleweed, is an annual herb with a plant height generally between 10-100 cm. It gets its name because when drought comes, it pulls its roots out of the soil, rolls them into a ball and rolls around in the wind. It is also nicknamed "tramp" and is a common plant in the Gobi Desert. On both sides of the Gobi Desert roads, you can often see them rolling in the wind when the wind blows. They have strong vitality and nothing can kill them. They can find an environment suitable for their growth and then send out new branches, new buds, and bloom rose-red to lavender flowers.

2. Growth habits

Tumbleweeds mainly grow in deserts, Gobi, roadsides, riverbanks and other places. It is mainly distributed in Eurasia and has invaded Central America, South America, Africa and other places. It has strong vitality and strong ability to adapt to the environment, making it difficult to eradicate. Tumbleweeds can spread seeds with every bounce and roll. Then, during times of drought, the roots can be pulled up from the soil and rolled in the wind.

3. Can I eat it?

Tumbleweeds are edible. It belongs to the Amaranthaceae family. Its young stems and leaves are edible and have certain nutritional value. In addition, its seeds also contain choline, mucus, vitamin B1, fatty oil, etc., can be used as medicine, and have the effect of lowering serum cholesterol in humans.