Snake cactus (Cylindropuntia spinosior)

Snake cactus is a spiny cactus with whorled branches. The spines can injure people and animals, and dense infestations restrict movement.

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How does this weed affect you?

Snake cactus forms dense thickets that:

• outcompete native plants
• prevent livestock from accessing feed 
• make mustering difficult
• reduce access to watering points
• restrict recreational activities such as bushwalking and camping.

The sharp spines can:

• cause painful injuries to people, livestock, working dogs and pets
• injure and sometimes kill wildlife that get trapped in the spines
• devalue wool and hides and prevent shearing.

What does it look like?

 Snake cactus is up to 3 m tall. It has whorled branches and sometimes has a trunk.

Stems (pads or cladodes) are:

• grey green
• up to 23 cm long and 3.5 cm in diameter
• cylindrical
• lumpy with a regular pattern of oval shaped raised lumps (tubercles) each up to 1.5 cm long with an areole in the centre where barbed bristles (glochids), spines, leaves, flowers, fruit, roots and new shoots grow
• firmly attached.

Areoles:

• are oval shaped
• are up to 7 mm long and 4 mm wide
• contain bristles that are yellow to tan, aging to grey and 1-2 mm long
• have 6-24 spines in each.

Spines are:

• up to 1.9 cm long and overlap with the spines in nearby areoles
• pale tan, pink to red brown with whitish sheaths.

Flowers are:

• usually rose to purple 
• sometimes bronze-purple, yellow, pale greenish yellow or whitish
• up to 7.5 cm in diameter.

Fruit are:

• yellow sometimes tinged red, purple or green
• cylindrical to oval shaped and very lumpy
• up to 5 cm long and 3 cm wide.

Seeds are:

• pale yellow
• oval shaped and flat or warped,
• up to 5 mm long.

Similar species

Snake cactus looks similar to:

• Jumping cholla (Cylindropuntia prolifera), which has yellow, rather than green, ripe fruit. It also has shorter, thicker stems (up to 15 cm long and 5 cm in diameter).
• Rope pear (Cylindropuntia imbricata), which has longer stems (up to 40 cm) and widely spaced tubercles making the stems look like rope.

Where is it found?

In NSW it has been found in the North West and Western regions.

Snake cactus is native to Mexico and southern parts of the united States of America. 

What type of Environment does it grow in?

Snake cactus grows in temperate and subtropical climates, especially in arid and semi-arid regions. It grows best in well drained soils and is found on red sandy soils and rocky soils. In Australia is has been found growing:

• in open grassland
• in shrubby eucalyptus woodlands
• on rocky ridgelines.

Maps and records

• Recorded presence of Snake cactus during property inspections (Map: Biosecurity Information System - Weeds, 2017-2026)
  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

It is not known if the seed is viable in Australia. 

Plant parts

New plants can grow from stem fragments, which can be spread by:

• water
• sticking to animals such as livestock and kangaroos
• sticking to vehicles
• people dumping garden waste.

References

Harvey, K.J., McConnachie, A.J. Sullivan, P. Holtkamp, R. and 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 13 August 2024 from https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Cylindropuntia~spinosior

Queensland Government (2024) Fact sheet: Snake cactus Cylindropuntia spinosior Retrieved 6 September 2024 from https://www.publications.qld.gov.au/ckan-publications-attachments-prod/resources/bd1433fc-3aca-486f-9a12-eccc106681b2/snake-cactus.pdf?ETag=3202400e950c8eea0a6361ce5e2f8ec8

Sheehan, M.R. and 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

Successful weed control requires follow up after the initial efforts. This means looking for and killing regrowth or new seedlings. Using a combination of control methods is usually more successful.

Prevention

To help prevent the spread of snake cactus:

• Do not grow it in gardens or pots.
• Do not take cuttings of unknown cactus plants to grow out or share with others.
• Avoid driving through areas with cacti.
• If you have been in an area with cacti check boots, equipment, vehicles, caravans, and machinery before leaving the infested area.
• Remove all cactus plant parts using pliers or tongs and dispose of them appropriately.

Disposal

Dispose of snake cactus by burying it at least 1 m deep or by burning in a hot fire. Check disposal sites regularly and control any seedlings. Contact your local council for information about other disposal options.

Physical control

Dig up small or isolated plants using a mattock or other tools. Wear appropriate protective clothing and gloves to protect against injuries from the spines.

Dense infestations or very large plants may be controlled by machinery if the site is not environmentally sensitive and access is suitable. Ensure the roots are dug out and that all plant parts are disposed of. Ensure that the machinery is cleaned of any plants part before leaving the site.

Biological control

Biological control is suitable for areas that are environmentally sensitive, too difficult to access or where other methods would be too expensive. Cochineal insects are less effective on scattered infestations and may require further redistribution at these sites.

The cochineal insects Dactylopius tomentosus ( ‘bigelovii' lineage) has established in the landscape and is being monitored to test its impact on this weed. 

There are several species of cochineal that look very similar. It is important to use the correct species of cochineal bugs for each species of cactus. Contact your local council weeds officer for information about using cochineal to control cactus.

Chemical control

Spot spraying

Herbicides are especially useful for sparse, scattered infestations. Spray actively growing plants. Cover all parts of the plant with herbicide to the point of visible wetness. Check treated plants and control new growth.

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: Not required when used as directed. If use is off-label check permit.
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: Not required when used as directed. If use is off-label check permit.
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 NSW 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 - 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. All species in the Cylindropuntia genus have this requirement except Rope pear Cylindropuntia imbricata.
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.
	*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