Boxing glove cactus (Cylindropuntia fulgida var. mamillata)

Also known as: coral cactus, jumping cactus, jumping cholla, prickly pear

Boxing glove cactus, regarded as an environmental weed, can injure people and animals with its sharp thorns, reduce livestock access to pastures and displace native plant species.

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How does this weed affect you?

Boxing glove cactus, native to south-western USA and northern Mexico, is occurring mainly in the drier regions of western New South Wales. It is regarded as an environmental weed, and can injure people and animals with its sharp thorns, reduce livestock access to pastures and displace native and other useful plant species.

Where is it found?

At present it is not common or widespread in NSW, but over the last few years populations have rapidly increased in density and area. It is now locally common in and around the mining settlements of Broken Hill, Cumborah, Grawin and Lightning Ridge. It is also spreading around Tibooburra in far western NSW.

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Control

Biological control

A scale insect (cochineal), Dactylopius tomentosus (cholla lineage), was released in 2016 and is successfully controlling boxing glove cactus throughout its invaded range in NSW. The insects spreads effectively between plants within a dense infestation of boxing glove cactus. It can move over 100 hundred meters per year. However, dispersal is poor between infestations and the cochineal will have to me manually introduced to these new areas. The insect sucks the sap from the plant, eventually causing it to collapse and die.

The biological control agent should be used on dense infestations of boxing glove cactus that cover large areas, where the feasibility of other control methods are too difficult or expensive. The cochineal will be less effective where plants are sparse and scattered

If you would like to use biocontrol contact your local weeds officer.

Herbicide options

See Using herbicides for more information.

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PERMIT 14442 Expires 30/06/2023
Picloram 100 g/L + Triclopyr 300 g/L + Aminopyralid 8 g/L (Grazon Extra®)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Spot spray application, add 0.5 % Uptake spray oil.
Withholding period: Where product is used to control woody weeds in pastures there is a restriction of 12 weeks for use of treated pastures for making hay and silage; using hay or other plant material for compost, mulch or mushroom substrate; or using animal waste from animals grazing on treated pastures for compost, mulching, or spreading on pasture/crops.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 14442 Expires 30/06/2023
Triclopyr 300 g/L + Picloram 100 g/L (Grazon® DS)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water
Comments: Spot spray application, add 0.5 % Uptake spray oil.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 14442 Expires 30/06/2023
Triclopyr 600 g/L (Garlon® 600)
Rate: 1 L per 75 L of diesel
Comments: Spot spray application.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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PERMIT 14442 Expires 30/06/2023
Triclopyr 600 g/L (Garlon® 600)
Rate: 3 L per 100 L of water
Comments: Add 0.5% Uptake® spray oil.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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Biosecurity duty

The content provided here is for information purposes only and is taken from the Biosecurity Act 2015 and its subordinate legislation, and the Regional Strategic Weed Management Plans (published by each Local Land Services region in NSW). It describes the state and regional priorities for weeds in New South Wales, Australia.

Area	Duty
All of NSW	General Biosecurity Duty All plants are regulated with a general biosecurity duty to prevent, eliminate or minimise any biosecurity risk they may pose. Any person who deals with any plant, who knows (or ought to know) of any biosecurity risk, has a duty to ensure the risk is prevented, eliminated or minimised, so far as is reasonably practicable.
All of NSW	Prohibition on dealings Must not be imported into the State or sold
Central Tablelands	Regional Recommended Measure* Land managers should mitigate the risk of new weeds being introduced to their land. The plant should be eradicated from the land and the land kept free of the plant. The plant should not be bought, sold, grown, carried or released into the environment. Notify local control authority if found. Excludes cultivated plants
Central West	Regional Recommended Measure* Land managers should mitigate the risk of new weeds being introduced to their land. Land managers should mitigate spread from their land. This Regional Recommended Measure applies to all species of Cylindropuntia except Cylindropuntia rosea (Hudson pear)
Western	Regional Recommended Measure* Land managers should mitigate the risk of new weeds being introduced to their land. The plant should be eradicated from the land and the land kept free of the plant. The plant should not be bought, sold, grown, carried or released into the environment. Notify local control authority if found.
	*To see the Regional Strategic Weeds Management Plans containing demonstrated outcomes that fulfill the general biosecurity duty for this weed click here

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Reviewed 2018