Leaf cactus (Pereskia aculeata)

Also known as: Satan plant, Barbados gooseberry

Leaf cactus is a climbing plant with clusters of spines 1-5 cm long. It can injure people and animals and form dense thickets that smother and kill other plants.

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How does this weed affect you?

Leaf cactus is a very spiny plant that forms large impenetrable clumps. It can:

• smother and kill other plants
• collapse trees under its weight
• restrict access to land and waterways
• reduce soil stability by killing native vegetation, especially along riverbanks
• injure people, livestock, pets and native animals
• reduce habitat for native animals.

Leaf cactus threatens eucalyptus woodlands and forests. It also could severely impact timber plantations.

What does it look like?

Leaf cactus is a spiny, perennial, climbing shrub that attaches itself to other plants and tangles around trees like a vine. It can reach up to 12 m into the canopy. 

Leaves are:

• green on top and sometimes purplish underneath
• up to 11 cm long and 5 cm wide
• oval or oblong with pointed tips
• waxy and slightly succulent
• on short stalks 3-6 mm long.

The leaves will fall off in very dry conditions or after cold weather. 

Flowers are:

• white or pale yellow, sometimes aging to pink
• up to 5.5 cm wide
• fragrantly scented
• spiny
• usually grouped together in bunches
• present in summer and autumn.

Fruit are:

• green ripening to yellow or orange-yellow
• 2.5–4.5 cm wide
• round and surrounded by leafy sepals
• edible, usually containing only one seed.

Seeds are:

• brown or black
• up to 5 mm wide.

Spines:

There are two types of spines:

• long, slender spines 1-5 cm long in clusters along the trunk
• short, curved spines 3–5 mm long, in pairs along the branches.

Where is it found?

Most leaf cactus in NSW has been found on the North Coast. Plants have also been found on the Central Coast and in the Western and South East Regions of NSW.

Leaf cactus is native to the West Indies, Venezuela, Guyana, Brazil and Argentina. It was introduced to Australia as a garden ornamental in the 1920s.  

Maps and records

• Recorded presence of Leaf cactus 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?

Leaf cactus has been planted intentionally as an ornamental plant.

By seed

Plants produce viable seeds after 2 to 3 years. Birds spread the seeds in their droppings.

By plant parts

Leaf cactus can regrow from broken branches, cuttings and leaves. Plants can be spread by people dumping garden waste. Broken plant parts can be spread long distances by moving water

References

CRC for Australian Weed Management (2003) Weed Management Guide: Leaf cactus (Pereskia aculeata). CRC Weed Management.

CSIRO (updated 2021). Biocontrol of priority environmental weeds in NSW: Leaf cactus. Retrieved 20 June 2022 from: https://research.csiro.au/nswweeds/leaf-cactus/

Morton, J. (1987). Barbados Gooseberry. p. 349–351. In: Fruits of warm climates. Julia F. Morton, Miami, FL.

Northern Territory Government (2012) Leaf cactus (Pereskia aculeata): NT Weed Risk Assessment Technical Report, Northern Territory Government, Darwin.

PlantNET (The NSW Plant Information Network System). Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, Sydney. Retrieved 22 June 2022 from: http://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au/cgi-bin/NSWfl.pl?page=nswfl&lvl=sp&name=Pereskia~aculeata

More information

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Control

Successful weed control relies on 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.

If you think you have found leaf cactus contact your local council weed officer. Weeds officers can advise the best control methods. Control effort that is poorly performed or not followed up can actually help spread a weed and worsen the problem.

Physical removal

Small individual plants may be dug up. Dispose of plants appropriately.

Manual removal of anything apart from very small plants is extremely difficult because leaf cactus is:

• extremely spiny and risky to work with
• it tangles around native vegetation up to 12 m high therefore very difficult to remove without damaging desirable plants
• cut plants can still live in the canopy even if the stem is cut.

Disposal

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.

Chemical control

Spraying

Apply herbicide to actively growing plants. Ensure that all parts of the plant are covered with the herbicide mix. Re-treatment may be necessary, particularly with large clumps.

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. 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 e.g. Uptake®, Titan Paraffin or Apparent Paraffinic spraying 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. Spot spray application. Spray actively growing plants. To improve uptake add a paraffinic oil e.g. Uptake®, Titan Paraffin or Apparent Paraffinic spraying 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: 1L per 75L 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: 3.0 L per 100 L of water
Comments: Follow the label instructions as per prickly pear common. Spot spray application. Spray actively growing plants. To improve uptake add a paraffinic oil e.g. Uptake®, Titan Paraffin or Apparent Paraffinic spraying 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.
Greater Sydney	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 - 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 Coast	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.
	*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 2023