Rope pear is a small very spiny shrub or tree cactus with rope-like branches. It can injure people and animals.
This weed belongs to the group Prickly pears - Cylindropuntias
This plant is a Weed of National Significance
This plant must not be sold anywhere in NSW
Rope pear is an invasive spiny cactus. The spines can:
Dense thickets of this cactus restrict the movement of animals and people, so that:
Rope pear damages natural environments by excluding and out-competing native plants. It also harbours pests including foxes, rabbits and fruit fly.
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.
Also growing from the areoles are yellow barbed bristles (called glochids) that are 1 mm long.
Fruit can grow attached to each other, forming a chain.
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.
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.
Rope pear is mostly found in semi-arid areas but can grow in many different soil types and landscapes. It is found:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Machinery can be used to control large, thick infestations in some situations. It may be suitable if:
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.
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.
Spray actively growing plants and ensure that all of the plant is thoroughly covered. Add a spray oil to make the herbicide more effective.
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. |
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 |
Reviewed 2023