Rope pear (Cylindropuntia imbricata)

Also known as: devil's rope pear, prickly pear, cactus, cacti, devil's rope

Rope pear is a small very spiny shrub or tree cactus with rope-like branches. It can injure people and animals.

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How does this weed affect you?

Rope pear is an invasive spiny cactus. The spines can:

• injure people, livestock, working dogs and pets
• get stuck around the mouth of lambs or calves and stop them from feeding
• injure and sometimes kill wildlife that gets trapped in the spines
• devalue wool and hides
• prevent shearing.

Dense thickets of this cactus restrict the movement of animals and people, so that:

• livestock cannot move to access feed 
• mustering is difficult
• access to watering points is reduced
• recreation such as bushwalking or bird watching is restricted.  

Rope pear damages natural environments by excluding and out-competing native plants. It also harbours pests including foxes, rabbits and fruit fly. 

What does it look like?

Rope pear is a small tree or shrub that grows 1-3 m tall. It sometimes has a short trunk covered in spines. Cacti pads have bumps on the surface called areoles. Spines, bristles, leaves, flowers, fruit, roots and new shoots all grow out of the areoles. The fleshy leaves on rope pear are less than 2.5 mm long and only present for a few weeks on young plants.

Stems (pads or cladodes) are:

• fleshy and spiny
• dull grey-green
• 15-40 cm long and 3-5 cm in diameter
• rope-like shapes growing at all angles
• lumpy or corrugated.

Spines are:

• 8-30 mm long
• white to cream
• covered in a papery sheath
• in groups of 2-12 per areole.

Also growing from the areoles are yellow barbed bristles (called glochids) that are 1 mm long.

Flowers are:

• 4-9 cm wide and up to 6 cm long
• dark pink to purply-red
• near the end of stems
• mostly present in late spring and summer.

Fruit are:

• fleshy and spineless
• egg-shaped
• up to 4 cm long
• greenish-yellow when ripe.

Fruit can grow attached to each other, forming a chain.

Seeds are:

• 2.5-4 mm long
• yellow to light brown.

Roots are:

• fibrous
• shallow.

Similar plants

There are over 30 different species of cactus in Australia. It can be hard to tell them apart. Plants can have more than one common name and sometimes two or more different species are all called the common name. 

Where is it found?

The plant is common around mining towns in western New South Wales. It is a weed in all other Australia states and territories, except Tasmania.

It is native to the USA and central Mexico.

What type of environment does it grow in?

Rope pear is mostly found in semi-arid areas but can grow in many different soil types and landscapes. It is found:

• in disturbed sites
• abandoned homesteads
• along roadsides
• in pastures and rangelands
• in open native woodlands grasslands
• along waterways.

Maps and records

• Recorded presence of Rope pear during property inspections (Map: Biosecurity Information System - Weeds, 2017-2024)
  These records are made by authorised officers during property inspections under the Biosecurity Act 2015. Officers record the presence of priority weeds in their council area and provide this to the NSW Department of Primary Industries. Records reflect the presence of the weed on the date of inspection.
  
  

How does it spread?

By seed

Rope cactus produces fruit with viable seeds. The fruit are eaten and seeds are spread by birds and other animals. Seeds are also spread along waterways.

By plant parts

Plants can spread from stems, fruit and flowers. Any of these plant parts that touches the soil can form roots and new stems within a few weeks.  Parts can break off from the main plant and spread by attaching to animal fur, vehicles, clothing and shoes. Plants may also be spread by dumping garden waste.

References

Biosecurity Queensland (2016). Weeds of Australia Biosecuirty Queensland Edition: Cylindropuntia Imbricata Factheet. Retrieved March 2019 from: https://keyserver.lucidcentral.org/weeds/data/media/Html/cylindropuntia_imbricata.htm

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 June 2020 from: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Cylindropuntia~imbricata 

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 (WA), Perth.

More information

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Control

Controlling rope cactus can be difficult because it spreads easily and can regrow after being sprayed with herbicide. Combining control options is the best way to kill plants.

It is important to follow up any control work to make sure the plant has not regrown. Return to control areas regularly to check progress and re-treat when needed.

Wear protective clothing, including gloves, boots, thick clothing and eyewear to stop injuries from spines.

Prevention

Stopping the spread of rope cactus is an important part of control programs. Do not plant them in gardens and if you do have them, dig them out and dispose of them so that the seed cannot be spread. 

Physical removal

By hand

Seedlings and small plants can be dug out. Take care to remove the whole plant and any parts that have fallen off. Dispose of any plant parts appropriately to prevent regrowth or spread.

By machine

Machinery can be used to control large, thick infestations in some situations. It may be suitable if:

• The area does not have any high value environmental, heritage or cultural sites that might be damaged by heavy machinery.

• There are areas where plants can be disposed of without the chance of regrowth.

Disposal

To dispose of cacti bury them with at least 1 m of soil over the top or burn in a hot fire. Check disposal sites regularly and control any seedlings.

Alternatively contact your local council for disposal advice.

Biological control

A scale insect (cochineal), Dactylopius tomentosus ('cylindropuntia' lineage), is an effective biological control agent for rope cactus. The insects don't move very well between rope pear sites, so they have to be introduced to new areas by hand. The insect sucks the sap from the plant, eventually causing it to collapse and die.

Biological control agents should be released in dense infestations of rope pear that cover large areas when other options are too hard or expensive. They will not work very well when plants are sparse and scattered.

Contact your local weeds officer for information about using biological controls on rope pear.

Chemical control

Spot spraying

Spray actively growing plants and ensure that all of the plant is thoroughly covered. Add a spray oil to make the herbicide more effective.

Herbicide options

See Using herbicides for more information.

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Picloram 100 g/L + Triclopyr 300 g/L + Aminopyralid 8 g/L (Grazon Extra®)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water.
Comments: Follow the label instructions as per Prickly pear (common), smooth tree pear. Spray actively growing plants. Thoroughly cover all of the plant with herbicide mix to the point of runoff. Regrowth may occur, so a follow-up application may be necessary. To improve uptake add a paraffinic oil at the rate of 500 mL per 100 L of water.
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: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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Triclopyr 300 g/L + Picloram 100 g/L (Various products)
Rate: 500 mL per 100 L of water.
Comments: Follow the label instructions as per prickly pear common. To improve uptake of add a paraffinic oil at the rate of 500 mL per 100 L of water.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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Triclopyr 600 g/L (Garlon® 600)
Rate: 1 L per 75 L of diesel
Comments: Follow the label instructions as per common prickly pear (Opuntia spp.). Spray actively growing plants. Thoroughly cover all of the plant.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
Resistance risk: Moderate

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Triclopyr 600 g/L (Garlon® 600)
Rate: 3 L per 100 L of water.
Comments: Follow the label instructions as per common prickly pear (Opuntia spp.). Spray actively growing plants. Thoroughly cover all of the plant to the point of runoff. To improve uptake, add a paraffinic oil at the rate of 500 mL per 100 L of water.
Withholding period: Nil.
Herbicide group: 4 (previously group I), Disruptors of plant cell growth (Auxin mimics)
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 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.
All of NSW	Prohibition on certain dealings Must not be imported into the state, sold, bartered, exchanged or offered for sale. All species in the Cylindropuntia genus have this requirement
Central Tablelands	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Eradication) 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.
Central West	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Eradication) 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	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Asset Protection) Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. 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.
Western	Regional Recommended Measure* (for Regional Priority - Asset Protection) Land managers should mitigate the risk of the plant being introduced to their land. 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

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Reviewed 2024