Tumbleweed vs. Ragweed — What's the Difference?

A tumbleweed is a structural part of the above-ground anatomy of a number of species of plants. It is a diaspore that once it is mature and dry, detaches from its root or stem and rolls due to the force of the wind.

Ragweeds are flowering plants in the genus Ambrosia in the aster family, Asteraceae. They are distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of the Americas, especially North America, where the origin and center of diversity of the genus are in the southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico.

Any of various densely branched annual plants, such as Russian thistle and several species of amaranth, that break off from the roots at the end of the growing season and are rolled about by the wind.

Any of various weeds of the genus Ambrosia of the composite family, having small, greenish, unisexual flower heads and producing abundant pollen that is one of the chief causes of hay fever.

Any plant which habitually breaks away from its roots once dry, forming a light, rolling mass which is driven by the wind from place to place; as Russian thistle, wild indigo, witch grass, Amaranthus albus, etc.

Chiefly British Ragwort.

(attributive) Describing unwanted silence and inactivity. Often used of a situation when one makes a statement that is ignored or ill-received by one's audience, as the resultant silence is likened to that of a desolate desert with rolling tumbleweeds.

A plant of the genus Ambrosia. These weeds are particularly noted for producing pollen which people with hay fever are allergic to.

A tan colour, like that of a tumbleweed.

A common American composite weed (Ambrosia artemisiæfolia) with finely divided leaves; hogweed.

Any plant which habitually breaks away from its roots in the autumn, and is driven by the wind, as a light, rolling mass, over the fields and prairies; such as witch grass, wild indigo, Amarantus albus, etc.

Widespread European weed having yellow daisylike flowers; sometimes an obnoxious weed and toxic to cattle if consumed in quantity

Any plant that breaks away from its roots in autumn and is driven by the wind as a light rolling mass

Any of numerous chiefly North American weedy plants constituting the genus Ambrosia that produce highly allergenic pollen responsible for much hay fever and asthma

Prickly bushy Eurasian plant; a troublesome weed in central and western United States

Bushy annual weed of central North America having greenish flowers and winged seeds

Bushy plant of western United States