Tumbleweeds invade western towns, but you can profit off the pesky plants. Here’s how
Tumbleweeds have completely taken over some western towns in the U.S., and while the pesky plants might seem useless, they can turn a pretty good profit for those bold enough to try selling them.
Photos and videos emerged online on Monday, March 4, showing the prickly thistle clumps piled up around cars and homes, littering neighborhood streets and even blocking highways in Utah and Nevada.
Public officials have been clearing roads and even set up dumpsters dedicated to wrangling the invasion in South Jordan, a southern suburb about 15 miles south of Salt Lake City, USA Today reported.
While the tumbleweeds are treated like trash, there’s actually an unexpected online market for the weeds — mostly as a creative way to infuse the wild west into a home’s decor.
Several online retailers string the tumbleweeds with lights and sell them as chandeliers for a couple hundred bucks. And they’re totally “having a moment” right now, Mountain Living magazine reported in September.
A northeast Nevada homeowner has been selling the tumbleweeds he finds on his property via his Etsy store Ethereal Wire Wraps, Fox13 Now reported.
“I just saw a niche in the market,” Neil Welcher told the station. “People really like dried flowers and certain things like that, so I thought, why not take a chance on a tumbleweed?”
Welcher’s products start around $200 and go up from there depending on how big and elaborate the light is.
A quick search on Etsy or eBay turns up several retailers selling tumbleweeds from western states like Nevada, California, New Mexico, Utah, Montana and Texas.
This story was originally published March 5, 2024 at 4:39 PM with the headline "Tumbleweeds invade western towns, but you can profit off the pesky plants. Here’s how."
