Cactus causing prickly problem

Published on 29 September 2021

Murray River Council is joining in a new state-wide campaign urging residents to be on the lookout for the prohibited sale or trade of prickly pear cacti.

Easy to propagate from cuttings, cacti are popular plants in household gardens, both indoors and outdoors.

But that same rapid growth can cause widespread devastation in the natural environment.

Barbed bristles and sharp spines on the plants detach easily from the plant and can cause serious injury to people. They can injure, cause infection in, blind and even kill native animals, pets, working dogs and livestock.

Once in the environment, prickly pears can form impenetrable walls of vegetation and cost millions of dollars to control.

Council is calling on anyone who sees these plants for sale to report it.

“Spring usually brings an increase in plant sales, so we’re appealing to the public to be on the lookout for these cacti in markets and online,” Biosecurity Coordinator, Tim Moodie said.  

“Prickly pears that are dumped in backyards or reserves can spread easily and rapidly. Seed is also spread by birds that eat the fruit of plants growing in garden beds and pots,”

“And when it comes to control, they are extremely difficult plants to kill!”

There are more than 27 species of prickly pear known to be in Australia. Eve’s needle, bunny ears, smooth tree pear and blind cactus are all types of prickly pear illegally traded in NSW, despite on-the-spot fines of $1,000 and penalties of up to $220,000.

More information is available on the NSW Department of Primary Industries website https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/biosecurity/weeds or you can get in touch with Council’s Biosecurity Team on 1300 087 004.