• Diffusely branched annual, can act as a biennial or perennial
• Small white (sometimes pink) terminal flowers
• Sharp yellow spiny bracts below flowers
• Gray-green leaves
• Rosettes can emerge in fall or early spring, or whenever moisture allows
• Plants shoot up a central stem and flower midseason
• Mature plant breaks at ground and tumbles to disperse seed
• One of the many “tumbleweeds”