Opuntia Species, Prickly Pear Cactus, Tiger Pear

O. aurantiaca is charming little opuntioid that every Opuntia collector should have in their collections. Nice flowers and far less nasti...Read Moreer than some of the endemic US Cylindropuntia species.

The USDA has no evidence that O. aurantiaca is invasive/noxious in the USA. There is no evidence of South American cacti being invasive in North America or vice-versa. This is a overreaction to South Africa's and Australia's experiences with this plant. If they are going to declare O. aurantiaca a noxious weed, the USDA needs to declare all Opuntia and Cylindropuntia species as noxious!

Common in Australia too, and I've become attached to it (literally) on a number of occasions. People are learning to live with it and I'd...Read More have to say that there are worse things in life (and nature) than a few spiny plants. These successful little spiny things often serve to give fanatical weed crusaders a reason to go about banging their drums in their never ending quest to vilify all exotic plants. It can be quite easily controlled on small holdings. Interesting to note too that the taxon as it occurs in Australia is a sterile hybrid. It does not produce viable seed. It was introduced here to support an early cochineal industry which never got off the ground. Perhaps if cochineal had become valuable, like silk, this little cactus would now be highly respected and coveted. History can sometimes be cruel to introduced plants.
Yes you're not supposed to grow it in some countries... Federally listed noxious weed, blah, blah, blah, rant, rant, rave, etc....
If anyone wants to grow it in colder countries or in big cities where it cannot possibly spread, I would suggest going over your plant every so often with small clippers and removing the sharp tips off the spines. Keep this up every time a new pad emerges and you will have a plant that can be handled quite safely. The flowers are quite pretty.
Dispose of all unwanted pads by freezing in your deep freeze, then wrapping in newspaper and placing in a plastic bag, top tied shut, for disposal.

Originates in South America, naturalized plants have caused serious infestations in Australia and some other countries. The spines have e...Read Morexceptionally strong barbs, so give a wide berth if you encounter it! Otherwise quite an attractive opuntia, with reddish brown spines, but can generally only be grown in countries where it cannot become naturalized. Doesn't seem to cope with damp cold very well but the plants I've grown have been OK up to about five or six degrees below freezing if kept dry.

U.S. FEDERALLY LISTED NOXIOUS WEED.
Not allowed for import to the US and not allowed in any interstate or intrastate transportati...Read Moreon without a specific permit from USDA APHIS PPQ (Plant Protection and Quarantine).
No one should be selling/growing this plant in the U.S.