Salsola kali

Russian thistle (Salsola tragus L.) is a non-native invasive species common on dry exposed or disturbed sites in the lower Athabasca Valley of Jasper National Park. It was first documented in the park in 1946 (Pfeiffer 1948); and by 1980, it was common on open sand dune ridges (Sharp 1980). The Jasper National Park Integrated Pest Management Plan (McPhee 2007) included Russian thistle in the list of species representing a significant threat to native communities and ecologicalintegrity. Russian thistle was especially prevalent in native montane grasslands used for winter grazing by bighorn sheep (Ovis canadensis Shaw) and other wild ungulates. Concern over its spread has led to growing interest in its control (Weerstra and Weerstra 2007). (Antill et al.2012)

Where invasive, it displaces native plants and competes for space,water and nutrients (PIER, 2015);