Brown-spined Hudson pear is a shrubby cactus with cylindrical stems. It has sharps spines that can injure people and animals.
This weed belongs to the group Prickly pears - Cylindropuntias
This plant must not be sold anywhere in NSW
This plant is a Weed of National Significance
Brown-spined Hudson pear has spines up to 7 cm long that:
Brown-spined Hudson pear outcompetes native plants, reducing food and shelter for native animals. It also forms dense thickets that prevent movement of animals and people. This means that:
Brown-spined Hudson pear is a densely-branched, low growing cactus. It is usually 30–60 cm tall.
Cacti pads have bumps on the surface called areoles. Spines, barbed bristles (glochids), leaves, flowers, fruit, roots and new shoots all grow out of the areoles.
Also growing from the areoles are tufts of pale yellow barbed bristles that are 0.5–1.2 mm long.
Most fruit are sterile. It is not known if any viable seeds are produced.
Brown-spined Hudson pear looks very similar to:
Brown-spined Hudson pear has been found in the North West region of NSW.
This weed is native to Mexico and southern parts of the USA.
Brown-spined Hudson pear can tolerate a wide range of soil types including sandy or stoney soils, loams and heavy clays.
Stem segments can easily break off from the main plant. New plants can grow from the fruit or small segments of the plant when they make contact with the soil. The plant parts are spread by:
It is not known if the seeds of brown-spined Hudson pear are viable.
Harvey, K.J., McConnachie, A.J. Sullivan, P. Holtkamp, R. & Officer, D. (2021). Biological control of weeds: a practitioner's guide for south east Australia. New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Orange.
PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 03/02/2023 from https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Cylindropuntia~tunicata
Sheehan, M. R., & Potter, S. (2017). Managing Opuntioid Cacti in Australia: Best Practice Control Manual for Austrocylindropuntia, Cylindropuntia and Opuntia Species. Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.
Identic and Lucid (2016) Weeds of Australia Fact sheet Cylindropuntia rosea (DC.) Backeb. and Cylindropuntia tunicata (Lehm.) F.M.Knuth Retrieved 03/03/2023 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/cylindropuntia_rosea_and_c._tunicata.htm
Successful weed control relies on follow up after the initial efforts. This means looking for and killing regrowth or new plants.
Wear protective clothing, including gloves, boots, thick clothing and eyewear to stop injuries from spines.
Do not grow brown-spined Hudson pear in gardens or pots. Do not take cuttings of unknown cactus plants to grow out or share with others.
Stop the spread of brown-spined Hudson pear into new areas by checking clothing, vehicles and equipment for plant parts before leaving an area that has cacti.
Seedlings and small plants that have not developed obvious spines can be hand-pulled with a gloved hand. Use tools to remove small to medium-sized plants. Take care to remove the whole plant and any parts that have fallen off. Dispose of all parts as they will regrow if they contact the soil.
To dispose of cactus bury them at 1 m deep or burn in a hot fire. Check disposal sites regularly. Alternatively contact your local council for disposal advice. When treating large areas, using a dye can help show which plants have already been sprayed.
Apply herbicide to actively growing plants. Re-treatment may be necessary, particularly with large clumps of cacti. Adding an oil or surfactant to the spray mix will make the herbicide treatment more effective.
The cochineal bug Dactylopius tomemtosus acanthacarpa var. echinocarpa linage provides effective control of brown-spined Hudson pear. There are several species of Dactylopius that look similar but they each control different species of cactus. It is important to use the correct species of cochineal for each species of cactus. Contact your local weeds officer for information about using cochineal to control brown-spined Hudson pear.
See Using herbicides for more information.
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. Add 0.5 % Uptake spray oil.
Comments: Spot spray application. Spray actively growing plants. See permit for critical use comments.
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
PERMIT 14442 Expires 30/06/2023
Picloram 100 g/L + Triclopyr 300 g/L + Aminopyralid 8 g/L
(Grazon Extra®)
Rate: 50 mL per 10 L of water plus 50 mL Uptake spray oil.
Comments: Knapsack application. A spray volume of 3 L to 4 L per 10 m2 should be used. See permit for critical use comments.
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
PERMIT 14442 Expires 30/06/2023
Triclopyr 300 g/L + Picloram 100 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water. Add 0.5 % Uptake spray oil.
Comments: Spot spray application. Spray actively growing plants. See permit for critical use comments.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
PERMIT 14442 Expires 30/06/2023
Triclopyr 300 g/L + Picloram 100 g/L
(Various products)
Rate: 50 mL per 10 L of water plus 50 mL Uptake spray oil.
Comments: Knapsack application. A spray volume of 3 L to 4 L per 10 m2 should be used. See permit for critical use comments.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
PERMIT 14442 Expires 30/06/2023
Triclopyr 600 g/L
(Garlon® 600)
Rate: 1 L per 75 L of diesel
Comments: Spot spray application. Spray actively growing plants. See permit for critical use comments.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
PERMIT 14442 Expires 30/06/2023
Triclopyr 600 g/L
(Garlon® 600)
Rate: 3 L per 100 L of water. Add 0.5% Uptake spray oil.
Comments: Spray actively growing plants. See permit for critical use comments.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
PERMIT 14442 Expires 30/06/2023
Triclopyr 600 g/L
(Garlon® 600)
Rate: 50 mL per 10 L of water plus 50 mL Uptake spray oil.
Comments: Knapsack application. A spray volume of 3 L to 4 L per 10 m2 should be used. See permit for critical use comments.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: I, Disruptors of plant cell growth (synthetic auxins)
Resistance risk: Moderate
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 pest 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. |
Central Tablelands |
Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Prevention)
Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. A person should not deal with the plant, where dealings include but are not limited to buying, selling, growing, moving, carrying or releasing the plant. Notify local control authority if found. |
Hunter |
Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Eradication)
Notify local control authority if found. Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. A person should not deal with the plant, where dealings include but are not limited to buying, selling, growing, moving, carrying or releasing the plant. |
Murray |
Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Prevention)
Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. A person should not deal with the plant, where dealings include but are not limited to buying, selling, growing, moving, carrying or releasing the plant. Notify local control authority if found. |
North West
Whole of Region, excluding Core infestations within Walgett shire |
Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Eradication)
Whole of region: Land managers mitigate the risk of new weeds being introduced to their land. Within exclusion zone: Land managers should eradicate the plant from the land and keep the land free of the plant. A person should not deal with the plant, where dealings include but are not limited to buying, selling, growing, moving, carrying or releasing the plant. Notify local control authority if found. Within core infestation: Land managers should mitigate spread of the plant from their land. A person should not buy, sell, move, carry or release the plant into the environment. Land managers should reduce the impact of the plant on assets of high economic, environmental and/or social value. |
*To see the Regional Strategic Weeds Management Plans containing demonstrated outcomes that fulfil the general biosecurity duty for this weed click here |
Reviewed 2023